The Liar's Kiss
by SaberMay
Summary: Five years after the war, there is a breach in the spirit world. Spirits of all kinds come through and, for nine days, are in control of a human body. It's hard enough handling the invading presence in their minds making their choices for them, and it only complicates things worse when the two spirits inside Zuko and Katara are lovers.
1. Whispers in the Dark

A/N: Hello all, and welcome to the story The Liar's Kiss. This is a piece of fan fiction I have been mulling over for awhile and have finally decided to write it down. I am sorry to say that updates will be sporadic, but this story is GUARANTEED to be finished. I'm serious. I won't stop writing until the day I can press the 'complete' button!

The cover image for this story was created by me. Also, I have other art for this story located on my profile at DeviantArt. Just go to the website, type in 'Sabermay', and the art for this story will appear.

Edit: Art related to this chapter is titled 'Southern Sunrise'. Check it out at my DeviantArt gallery.

Disclaimer: No own, no sue.

* * *

 _Chapter 1_

 **Whispers in the Dark**

...

The sound of freshly fallen snow crunched under Katara's feet as she slowly made her way across the glistening balcony; still and quiet in the early morning hours. When she reached the railing, she peered out at the scene in front of her. There were no signs of movement in the usually busy streets, and the stores and homes were mostly dark. The only real signs that people were in them were the few rising towers of smoke coming from the chimneys. A storm trapped the city in a dark, fierce blizzard the past week and the tail end of it was beginning to show itself.

Today was going to be a busy day. Everyone hunkered down for the week, spending time with their families in the safety of their homes while the weather raged outside. To the north of her, dark clouds thinned as they departed, letting the morning sunlight peek through.

It was always beautiful after a storm; fresh snow blanketed everything it touched, the air always seemed cleaner, and the people were revived all at once. Katara took in a chilled breath. Her mind calmed as much as the homely scene before her, enjoying the beauty of the pink and purple sunrise that only the Southern Pole could offer.

She gazed out with a feeling of content until her eyes landed on a certain area in the distance. That part of the city, though beautiful in the post-storm morning light, was what people considered home to the lower class. It saddened her that a place like that appeared despite all they've done. Their village use to be one big family with everyone helping each other regardless of circumstance. Now that the war ended and efforts to rebuild and reestablish the Southern Water Tribe were in full swing, the village turned into a booming city within only five years. Many came from the northern tribe, and all the soldiers returned home. There were thousands living here now.

Unfortunately, with such large numbers, something like this was bound to happen. The class divisions were beginning to appear here and there. People here were not sick or in poverty, they were just looked down upon by others. The values and standards of their culture were there for a reason and they did lead to a happy life, but for those that broke them, and were caught doing it, they usually ended up like this. Ridiculed, social outcasts.

Many people living there came from the north as lower class citizens, hoping to escape the judgments that plagued them, but word travels fast, and they met the same treatment down here as more and more from their sister tribe began to arrive.

At first, Katara was overjoyed to learn that the tribe was going to be rebuilt, but never in a million years did she truly expect something like this to happen. The village that was once her family turned into a city full of unfamiliar faces. The thought didn't depress her, but it made her sad for times passed.

She shook her head to rid herself of the melancholy feeling. Things were better here than ever before, and she wouldn't trade that change for the world. She had the power to help these people and change their situation, and that's exactly what she planned to do. Being the daughter of the Chief and one of the city officials _and_ one of the tribe's most respected waterbenders had its perks.

However, she wondered if yet another meeting discussing their situation was going to help. The reality was that no matter how much she and others tried to send more aide their way, the problem rested with the people and their acceptance towards 'the lower class', not how many baskets of supplies they had.

"Excuse me, Lady Katara?" came a voice from behind her. Prying her thoughts from unsettling ones, she turned to see a guard walking up to her.

"Please, you don't have to call me that. Katara works just fine," she said as she gave a small smile to the young, stiff guard. He was a new face.

He nodded and spoke again, "Your father sent me to find you. He would like to speak with you."

"I was actually just about to leave. Can you tell him I'll see him later?"

"I'm sorry. Your father asked that you attend the weekly meeting."

Katara furrowed her brow in confusion. "That isn't supposed to be until later today."

"No, it's already started."

She didn't answer back right away. As if reading her skeptic thoughts, the young guard continued, "He changed the time, and said that it's urgent."

Uneasiness settled over her as she nodded and thanked him. She walked back in through the doors and quickly made her way down the hall, wondering what was so important that this gathering had to be bumped up a few hours. The only other time her father said something was urgent was when Suki was in labor. Seeing that Suki wasn't currently pregnant, she doubted that was the case again. Whatever it was, hopefully it wasn't something too serious.

Upon arriving at a large, open door, she slowed and hesitantly peeked around the corner to see just how late she was. She hoped she wouldn't be the person everyone stared at as she awkwardly took her seat. There were people in the room, but, to her surprise, her father was not among them. She stepped in and joined the others taking their spots on the floor. As more filled the room, it became clear that this was going to be no ordinary meeting; there were too many faces here for that.

The city leadership held annual meetings, something she was a part of, but never in these numbers. None seemed to notice her entrance except for her brother, and it took only a few seconds to suspect that something was off about him. He was usually talking with people at the other side of the room or greeting her with a joke when she walked in. He did neither of those things this time. Sokka just nodded a greeting and continued staring at the wall, or whatever he had his eyes blankly fixed on.

Katara sat next to him and scanned the room for her father who was still absent, and, at the same time, waited for Sokka to break and tell her what was wrong with him. When no words came, she fought with the urge to demand them from him. Afterall, _not_ getting into people's business when they made faces like that was not her strong suit.

"Is everything okay?" she asked, breaking the silence.

He rolled his eyes. "Everything's fine, but looks like the trade shipment we got this morning was 'incomplete'."

"What does that mean?"

He scoffed, "It means the ship was probably raided sometime in the night when it was in the harbor. That, or the merchants are lying to us."

Was this what was so urgent that her father had to call for a meeting this early, and why Sokka was so uptight? While she did help with problems that arose like this, it wasn't exactly something she was in charge of. "I have things I have to do today. Do I really have to be here for this?"

"You and me both, sis. I'm supposed to be celebrating my son's birthday today," he said while throwing his hands up in the air, then stuck his lower lip out in a pout.

It never surprised her how often he still acted like a kid. It was hard to think he was actually his age sometimes, especially with a face like that. He, without a doubt, has matured and grown into quite the man in the past few years, but the kiddish nature and humor about him still clung. Katara had a hard time deciding if that was a blessing or a curse.

"I thought the celebration was tonight?"

"Well, yeah, but I don't want to be remembered as the father that neglects his son on his birthday!"

She raised her eyebrows in surprise. It suddenly dawned on her that this was the reason he was acting so strange.

"Sokka, he's turning one."

"So?"

"So, I think he'll forgive you for being gone a few hours." She tried to hide her giggle as she said it.

He huffed at her answer and pouted silently.

If Sokka ever excelled at anything in life, it was definitely being a father. Right after the war ended and things finally settled down, he didn't waste much time asking Suki to marry him. Everyone knew it was coming. It was so plainly obvious how much they were in love, especially for Sokka who never hid it from anyone. Ironically, she told him no when he asked her.

It came as a shock to everyone, but only those close to them could understand why. She still had ties to the Kyoshi warriors and was afraid to step down as their leader. It was the hardest decision Suki ever made, but love won out in the end. Her answer didn't deter Sokka and he waited patiently until she had things taken care of in her homeland. Once she felt comfortable with what she left, she finally told him yes.

Two years later Katara's nephew was born, and anyone could see just how much love Sokka had for his son. That little boy was all he talked about for the longest time after he was born. For anyone who was willing to listen, he would talk their ears off about his son.

Sokka worked hard lately getting ready to become Chief of the tribe. He was always out and about helping and doing whatever he could. However, he always seemed reluctant to leave his wife and son to do business. Suki had to forcefully kick him out on occasion or he would stay in with them all day long. The thought made her laugh.

Katara put her hand over her mouth as she giggled while getting a questioning look from her brother.

Suddenly, her father walked in and the entire room quieted down. To this day, it still amazed her the sort of instant respect he received from people. As he sat down, so did everyone else. He greeted the two of them and some others, started off with other casual greetings, and then got straight to business. Sokka was right that some of the goods were stolen sometime in the night. An investigation was being organized, but Katara found her attention drifting from the topic.

As her father continued to speak, her eyes scanned the faces in the room. There were merchants, guards, their ambassadors, and many other well-known faces. The room was too full of important people just to be discussing some local theft.

When her eyes landed on an older woman next to her, her gaze turned to one of concern.

It was their tribe's spiritual leader. She was adorned her typical purple robe with an intricately designed blue and white sash running over her right shoulder down to her waist, indicating who she was. Her eyes were shut hard and she was rubbing her temples, and it was obvious she wasn't feeling well. While others in the room continued to speak, Katara leaned over closer to the woman and asked her if she was sick in a low voice.

The spiritual leader turned and looked surprised to hear her question. The older woman typically had a very soft, knowing gaze, but today it was absent. There were dark bags under her eyes which were squinted as if the light in the room was too much to handle. Her exhaustion was evident.

"Possibly," she answered quietly, "I've had a headache for the past week, and it's getting worse."

"You should lie down."

"I'll lie down when the work is done."

"The work will never be done. If you are feeling this way, you should rest for a bit."

The spiritual leader looked like she was going to argue the point, but closed her mouth and nodded as she sighed. She'd known Katara for quite a while, and was used to her naturally nurturing ways. Besides, arguing health and well-being with the Chief's daughter was an argument already lost.

The older woman turned back to the debate going on in the room appearing to be done with the conversation. Katara resisted the urge to solidify her point and turned away as well. She would have to personally make sure she got some rest later.

Katara went back to listening to the meeting which eventually moved on to other business. When the topic of the lower class came around, her ears perked up. She would put in words with this topic; a lot of them. As expected, the debate started the same way it always did, and people were starting to repeat the typical answers and arguments.

However, one official said something that made Katara nearly drop her jaw in antipathy.

"Hakoda, we cannot keep supplying the lower ring with free goods."

The room instantly fell silent the moment the words came out. The official realized his mistake as soon as he said the words. Katara, along with many others in the room were shocked with disbelief that he referred to that area with such a degrading name. Now Katara was upset.

"I'd ask you not call it that," her father said before anyone, she being one of them, called him out. Some people in the room did not seem to understand why what he said was so offensive. These were the people that had not traveled and understood enough to know what it meant.

The name was adopted from the Earth Kingdom referring to the area the lower class citizens lived inside Ba Sing Se. In all honesty, she heard this new nickname for that area begin to sprout up, but no one had ever used it to describe them in a formal setting. It was truly offensive not because of the word itself, but because of what it implied. The Southern Water Tribe may have turned into a city, but they weren't going to start segregating social classes.

"Apologies," was all he said as many around the room shot a glare in his direction.

"He's right, though. A lot of our supplies are being sent there with no profit," said someone else.

Katara couldn't help it and snapped, "They are poor and struggling as is. To take their supplies from them would send them into poverty."

"You misunderstand, I do not suggest to take from them." He turned his glance toward her father. "A supply market must be started out there. Goods and services need to start circulating in that area or nothing is going to change."

There was a short silence as people either whispered to each other or stared at Hakoda for a response.

"Agreed," said her father, "but that is a discussion that requires time and planning. We'll have to hold out on that for another time."

Katara, not wasting any time, turned to her father. "I would be glad to lead the effort."

"We will sit down to discuss the topic at another time, but you will not be leading it, Katara. You will be busy with something else."

"What do you mean?"

His sighed while straightening up, then raised his voice. "Some of you may have noticed that ambassador Rako is not with us today."

All at once, everyone glanced throughout the room as some whispers spread. Many eyes landed on the empty seat the ambassador usually occupied.

"As you all know, his wife has been ill for some time. Recently, her health has taken a turn for the worst and she is now bedridden. He has chosen to stay with her until she's on her feet again."

Katara knew the ambassador well. He and his wife were an older couple and the poor woman had been sick for a year now. Was he saying that he needed her to help her heal? In the corner of her eye, she saw her brother look at her with a smirk on his face.

Her father turned back to her and continued, "I would like you to fill his position until he returns."

Katara's eyes widened and her mouth nearly dropped. Not only was the news a surprise in itself, but she was more surprised that he was telling her this _now_. With something like this, she expected a heads up days in advance. He hadn't breathed a word of this to her and he was putting this on her now in front of everyone? What was he thinking?

"Will you be willing to do this?"

All eyes were on her.

"It doesn't sound like I have a choice." She didn't say it with any amount of spite in her voice, and perhaps she should have said something else in front of all these people, but she was taken off guard. He had to have known she was surprised by it.

He sighed, "I'm sorry. I should have asked you instead of telling you. Would you be willing to, Katara?"

"Am I really your only choice?" It's not that she didn't want to do it, she was just trying to understand why he was asking her above others in the room that she _knew_ had ambitions for this position one day.

"There are others, but this is only temporary. As you know the world leader's assembly will be held at the Fire Nation capital in about a month. On top of that, a gala is being hosted in honor of the war ending five years ago. I would like to send all three ambassadors to this."

"The gala is basically going to be a week-long party," Sokka chimed in.

Yes, she knew about the assembly and the celebration. Everyone did. It was the biggest topic of discussion for the past two months. For the Fire Nation, it was the first time they were celebrating the end of the war. A huge step, really.

"In other circumstances, I would send Sokka as one, but this year he will be going acting as future Chief for the tribe since I won't be there this time around," Hakoda hesitated, "You do have a choice, of course. I could find another."

Katara looked at the empty seat. She _did_ have more experience with foreign relations than most, even though she hasn't left the pole in nearly three years. After the war ended, she spent another year traveling around with Aang helping him with post-war conflicts, but had grown terribly homesick. Aang was the one that noticed it at first and eventually brought her home.

She resisted, of course, because her heart truly did lie with Aang and she wanted nothing more than to help him, but he seemed to see what she truly needed. It was only after she stepped back on the ice from Appa's saddle that she realized she really did want to come home. For the first time in her life, she could finally spend time with her family without fear of war taking them away at any moment.

Of course, that was what her younger self needed.

Things were slow between her and Aang, especially since she made the choice to stay home, but she was willing to wait. She loved him and knew that someday they would finally be together. She was constantly asked when they were going to be married. After all, in her culture, women her age were working on child number two. Most people didn't press any further knowing that she was with the Avatar.

Lately, she had an itch to get away and leave to see the world again with Aang, but she was older now with responsibilities. Her duties kept her bound to the city. There was still a lot to do, but now that things were coming together and calming down, maybe this was her chance to travel once more, even if it was just to the Fire Nation for a short time.

She'd get to spend more time with Aang; the young man her heart ached for.

In retrospect, Katara knew she didn't need to think about it. Even if she had weeks to decide, her answer could only go one way.

"No, I'll accept."

He nodded in response.

"It's been awhile since you've been anywhere. When was the last time you went to the Fire Nation?" asked Sokka.

Katara thought for a moment.

Zuko's coronation and that was nearly five years ago. Had it really been that long? When she was traveling with Aang, they spent most of their time in the Earth Kingdom and the North Pole. She saw everyone but Zuko during that time. No one had seen much of Zuko, in fact. Since he became Fire Lord, he was buried in responsibility, or so Aang told everyone when asked. The world was looking to him to heal the deep wounds his country had caused.

"She'll be fine. The other two ambassadors will be there as well. You'll just be a stand-in, so you won't be handling much foreign policy," answered her father.

"But what about my duties?" she asked.

"They will be taken care of while you are away."

"Hakoda, is there a reason why all three ambassadors need to be present? There have been instances in the past that only one or two were needed," asked one of the ambassadors.

Katara noted that when he asked that, her father hesitated momentarily and his face dropped. She also noticed Sokka's smile disappear.

"Things are a bit unstable in the Fire Nation as of late, and it's important that each of you makes an appearance."

This wasn't news. There was talk of the Fire Nation losing stability, but, unlike many, she knew the truth. Aang and Zuko worked alongside each other and Aang always filled her in on details when he came to visit her.

There was concern about a civil disaster about to happen - a war between their own people - but that's gone on practically since the war ended all those years ago. People in the Fire Nation were still divided on opinions, and it's been a crisis ever since, but nothing major came of it.

Yet, at least.

Some continued to ask questions, and Hakoda continued to discuss other things on the agenda. Katara tuned most of that out as her mind swam with the idea of traveling once again. Not much later, her father called an end to the meeting and people began to stand up to take their leave. Katara wasn't going to leave just yet and intended to discuss her new position as Ambassador with her father, but before she could get up, Sokka grabbed her wrist.

"Stay here for a little while longer. There's something else going on," he said in a low enough voice that only she could hear.

She looked down and waited for him to explain. When he didn't, she sat back down hesitantly, tapping her fingers on her knee. "Is everything okay?" she whispered.

Without looking at her, Sokka shook his head. Katara bit her lip as she looked away.

The spiritual leader who was sitting next to her suddenly stood up. When Sokka saw her walk away, he spoke up. "Wait, where are you-"

"I'm sorry, Sokka. I am not feeling up to this. Please tell your father that I am unwell and will consult with him later tonight."

Sokka looked like he was about to argue, but everything about the woman screamed exhaustion and he slowly nodded. He glanced at his sister in confusion, silently asking for an explanation, but Katara only shrugged in response. She took her leave and Katara made a mental note to check on her later. To see their usually sweet and caring spiritual leader so sick and short with people was odd.

Once the room was practically empty, she turned to her father, hoping that whatever news that awaited was not as bad as her mind was imagining. When only six remained, all eyes turned to Hakoda. A solemn look crossed the Chief's face.

"I am sorry to keep all of you longer than expected, but there is a matter that needs to be discussed. There is a rumor that Fire Lord Zuko is sick."

"...a rumor?" someone asked.

"Uh, well, that would be the best way to describe it right now. The news isn't unfounded, though."

"He's sick?" asked Katara after an uneasy silence from everyone, prompting her father to continue.

"Not a fever kind of sick. In fact, I'm unsure of the details, but this information was passed to me discretely by a high-ranking individual." Hakoda turned his attention to the lead ambassador. "I am sending some of our best healers with you on your trip. Those who passed this to me did not say what was wrong with him exactly, but if they are asking for our best, then I can only assume it is grave."

Katara's breath caught as her eyes widened at the news. Zuko was sick? What could have happened for him to fall gravely ill? Katara had a feeling this wasn't just some common illness. They didn't just request some healers, they wanted their best. Her chest swelled with worry.

It was not the same concern that everyone else might have. There was speculation that Zuko himself was the only thing currently keeping the peace in the Fire Nation. His influence was keeping at bay a potential catastrophe and if he were to become bedridden or worse that would spell disaster for those vying for peace.

Those possibilities didn't even register in her concern for him, though. She wasn't worried because the Fire Lord was sick, she was worried because it was _Zuko_ that was sick. A friend she had been close to, however briefly, and whom she still felt a connection to even if it was years since she last saw his face. Even with the amount of time apart, he was still very important to her, and the unexpected news hit her hard.

 _'Is Zuko dying…?'_

"They sent for their best up north as well."

Katara snapped out of her momentary shock. "I am one of the best."

"I know," said her father, "That is the main reason you are going. Do what you can to help, but remember that you are there under the guise of acting ambassador."

"Guise? Is her true purpose there supposed to be a secret?" asked the ambassador.

"Yes. I've been asked to keep this extremely discrete. The healers you are taking still don't fully understand why they've been asked to go. They don't need to either unless it comes to it. Just remember, no one is to know."

"I understand," she said, unsure of what more to say. The secrecy was no doubt there to protect the whole situation from leaking out. Now it made sense why her father chose her instead of others that had ambitions to become an ambassador. She was the best healer their tribe had to offer.

"The ship will be leaving port tomorrow. Will you be ready?"

"Tomorrow? So soon?" That meant it was worse than she thought…

"Yes. In light of this news, I don't think that waiting would be wise. Though the gathering isn't for another month, I believe that you should leave as soon as possible."

Katara nodded her understanding. She would gladly drop everything to go and help him. She only hoped that however serious it was, it was something she could help with. Her father closed the meeting with that and Katara stood up to leave. Sokka turned to speak to her, but her mind was too fogged with worry of a man she had not seen in so long that she didn't even notice.

* * *

A very drained spiritual leader nearly dragged her feet into the small temple. Her eyes were squinted in an attempt to keep as much light out as possible, and to ease her growing migraine. She barely noticed her attendants drop what they were doing the moment they saw her.

One of them walked up to her with extreme concern. She repeated a question she had already asked many times. "How are you feeling?"

The spiritual leader sat down on a plush fur pad and sighed. She contemplated sugar coating the answer as she had done for the past week since this began, but perhaps now honestly was the best route. They weren't ignorant and they already knew something was going on.

"It's getting worse."

Her attendants exchanged worried looks. What they didn't understand, though, was that it wasn't just her headache getting worse. It was something she couldn't explain and something she had never experienced before. Since she was a young girl, she had always been very attuned to her spiritual surroundings.

She could see things, feel things, _know_ things about spirits around her that no one could understand. The link between her and the spirit world was thin; not as thin as the great monks of the world or even the Avatar himself, but narrow nonetheless. That was why she was appointed Spiritual Leader of the Southern Water Tribe.

Lately, she couldn't feel them. Her normally heightened senses felt dampened and there was a silence from the spirit world she had never known. It had gotten so bad and declined so quickly that she was terrified she was going to lose her ability altogether.

"Kyta is sick too…" said one of the younger women.

The spiritual leader snapped her head towards the attendant in surprise.

The attendant continued, "It seems to be the same thing you have. She's had a terrible headache for the past day and a half and she looks exhausted. Could it be a sickness going around?"

Kyta was her apprentice. A young girl who had shown as much potential and ability to sense spirits around her as herself. The spiritual leader intended for her to one day take her place. Could the same thing happening to her be happening to young Kyta? Was there the chance that she, too, was losing touch? A sudden ominous feeling filled her head to toe. The implications of that were alarming.

However, she shook her head at the thought. The idea of losing her ability had been the only thing on her mind the past few days, and no doubt was clouding her rational thinking. It had to be just a cold going around. Exhaustion _had_ dulled her senses in the past, and it made sense that this was the case once again, even if it were ten times more extreme than anything she'd felt. She wasn't going to assume the worst, something she didn't even understand, from just a headache. She stood up and headed towards the room she knew her apprentice would be resting in to check up on her.

While she had pushed the unpleasant thought aside, the eerie feeling it left still lingered and planted a seed of fear that was not going to go away.

* * *

A/N: I know what you're thinking 'Are you kidding me? This is the most typical plot line ever!' (Gala/Katara going to Fire Nation). ...I know. BUT, this story is going to rapidly take a different route from anything you've ever read. Hang in there, and I promise you won't be disappointed!


	2. Marked

A/N: I want to thank everyone who has reviewed/faved/followed - you guys rock. Please enjoy the chapter and let me know what you think!

Edit: Art related to this chapter is titled 'Fire Lord Zuko'. Check it out at my DeviantArt gallery.

Disclaimer: No own, no sue.

* * *

 _Chapter 2_

 **Marked**

...

"What are your thoughts, Fire Lord Zuko?"

Zuko snapped his head towards the person that asked the question and was met with expectant eyes of advisors and generals. Instantly, he froze and resisted the urge to swallow, berating himself for becoming distracted. Zuko quickly raked his memory, trying to remember what his advisor had asked him, or what they were discussing in the first place.

"Your thoughts, My Lord?" the man tentatively repeated.

Trying and failing to remember the subject, he did the only thing he could do to save himself. "What would you do if the choice was yours?" Zuko asked.

It was a cheap way out of admitting he was totally unaware of what they were discussing, but effective. That slip up was going to be remembered by some of the others in the room, though.

"I believe it would be wise to leave the troops there for the time being. The city is safe with their protection. The trade routes to Yu Dao are also valuable to our economy."

Another voice chimed in, "There is also the fact that many of the soldiers have settled down in that area and already developed families. I believe they would elect to stay regardless."

Ah yes, they were discussing troop placement and making decisions on who was going to be coming home this year.

As if on que, one if his generals (a very _certain_ general) spoke up, "I disagree. There are places closer to the homeland that are in dire need of the military's presence. The amount of money spent to keep them there does not justify the income it brings."

The general in question, along with everyone else in the room, looked to Zuko for the deciding factor. However, something about the look in the general's eye appeared less than cordial – something he got from this man a lot lately. The look he was giving Zuko now was his way of saying ' _Are you really going to disagree with me again?_ '.

Not able to resist, Zuko shot back the same look. Even stubborn generals had a hard time standing up to a Fire Lord's glare and it took only seconds before the other averted his eyes in submission.

Satisfied, Zuko turned his attention back the matter at hand. He seriously debated the idea of extending the meeting to hash out the details and come up with a solution instead of pushing it off once again. But the thought stopped short when a familiar ache in his chest started growing stronger.

This sudden pain was the reason became distracted in the first place.

 _'Why now? Why is it_ always _at times like this?'_ he thought.

He clamped both hands into tight fists.

"I agree with advisor Hon," said Zuko. "We'll leave the troops there until further notice."

The usual formalities followed and there were a few attempts to bring up other subjects, but Zuko's stiff tone of voice gave everyone the unmistakable impression that the meeting was over. People began to stir and leave their seats, offering him a formal goodbye before they left the room.

Zuko silently sighed with relief at the dwindling numbers. It had been a long morning and he wasn't sure how much longer he'd be able to focus.

He realized he was absentmindedly rubbing his neck, then quickly removed his hand and straightened up, drawing a curious look from one of his generals. The pain he was hoping to avoid for at least a couple more hours was back again and it was as fierce as always, but he absolutely could not act on it in front of these men.

The group of military leaders wandering around the palace these days were nothing but vultures waiting for a chance to pick apart every tiny weakness that slipped through his usually-confident image. They already practically ate him alive when his reign first began, and he had to learn the hard way of what being the ruler of an aggressive nation vying for peace was like.

If they knew about his illness…

Zuko shook his head and willed away his paranoia. It certainly wasn't going to help his attempt to calm down.

Once the room was nearly empty, Zuko stood to leave, but one of his advisors walked up to him. "That took longer than I expected," the older man commented while gesturing to the meeting table.

His chest still ached and he had no patience for whatever this was. "Is there something you need?"

"Nothing. I just need to give you some news."

The man followed him as Zuko walked towards the counsel room door.

"And that would be?"

"I was able to cancel most of your plans for the rest of the evening. With much of what we needed wrapped up in the meeting, I was able to convince the governors to wait until the originally scheduled time tomorrow."

"I didn't tell you to do that." Zuko wasn't going to complain, though.

"I know. You may change it back if you wish. There was one meeting I didn't have the authority to intervene with. I'll leave that one up to you."

"And your reason for doing this?" he asked with a frown.

"Convenience for you."

Zuko stopped walking and grabbed the man's arm to halt him. He could see right through his advisor's annoying sham he was putting up. There was only one reason for what he did and Zuko knew full well what it was. "I told you not to worry about it."

The advisor was silent but briefly glanced at Zuko's chest.

He continued, "As an advisor, you have a lot of free reign, but don't do this again without notifying me first."

 _'Do it again for_ that _reason and I won't be so forgiving next time.'_

Secrets around the palace were a nasty thing, even among the people Zuko trusted most. The man seemed to read through the lines to his true meaning and slowly nodded. "Very well. My apologies."

Zuko stepped through the door and intended to leave on his own but slowed again when he saw a familiar face walking down the hall towards him. His brow raised in genuine surprise to see the leader of the Fire Sages all alone. He didn't announce he was coming to the palace and a drop-in visit like this was unheard of. He briefly glanced at his advisor who looked just as surprised as he was.

Though he was getting closer, he didn't notice Zuko. There were dark bags under his eyes and 'exhausted' didn't seem to quite convey how tired he looked.

"High Sage Shyu," said his advisor in an attempt to get his attention.

The older man finally stopped, then looked at them and blinked in bewilderment.

"This is an unexpected visit," said Zuko.

"Visit?"

"Eh, yes," said his advisor. "Did you come to see The Fire Lord?"

"Visit..."

"High Sage, are you alright?"

"Yes, I came here to speak with you..." he trailed off as he looked to Zuko.

"About?"

"I don't-" He reached up and ran a hand over his face. "I don't remember."

As the man struggled to find his thoughts, the advisor turned to a guard standing near them. "Go and get a healer. I don't think he's well."

Just then, another Fire Sage rounded the corner and spotted the group. His mouth dropped when he saw the High Sage. He quickly approached while respectfully bowing. "What's going on?" Zuko asked.

"I'm very sorry, My Lord. The High Sage is not well. We didn't realize he was missing from the temple until he was already here."

"Missing? He doesn't look missing. He says he needs to talk to me."

"I don't think it's anything to worry about. He is very unwell. He's been saying strange things and wandering places for days now."

"But I came here because..." The High Sage looked around, growing more confused.

The other sage grabbed his shoulders and turned him away. "Shyu, you need to rest. I'm taking you back to the temple." The sage looked to Zuko. "Again, I am very sorry for disturbing you."

"It's fine."

After a nod from Zuko, the sage coaxed his companion back the way they came. By the way he was acting, it seemed this wasn't the first time their leader did this.

"He doesn't look sick," said Zuko as he reached up to rub his chest.

"Perhaps he's losing his mind in his old age."

A bead of sweat ran down the back of his neck and Zuko clutched his chest harder. "Old age..." he quietly agreed.

* * *

Halls filled with luscious red, black, and gold décor blurred past Zuko's vision as he walked through the palace. The moment anyone caught sight of him, they dropped everything they were doing instantly to give him respectful bows and greetings as he passed. He didn't notice those much either.

When he finally reached his destination at a more secluded area, he glanced around to make sure he was alone and stepped into a large room separated into two sections. The entrance area he stood in was the largest and the room was adorned with expensive art, rare books, and scrolls. The bookshelves extended all the way up to the vaulted ceiling which held a large Fire Nation-style chandelier.

Everything in here would have dust on it if not for the servants that made sure not a single speck lingered for more than an hour. He never had the luxury of time to use that room to lounge. Instead of flipping pages of exciting tales, his time was spent going through tax and trade scrolls all day long.

He passed the other section of the room – his annoyingly cluttered office he often held himself up for hours in and went straight for a raised couch by one of the windows pouring in pre-afternoon light.

The quietness of his personal study was welcome compared to the political banter he listened to all morning, but it did nothing for his foul mood. The quiet air couldn't take away the cold sweat and invisible knife tearing his chest apart, twisting and turning in ways he could only describe as true torment.

' _It's getting worse…'_ he thought offhandedly.

He hung his head and focused on controlling his now pained breathing. These… _attacks_ would only go away with time and he could do nothing but try to keep himself calm until the pain subsided. Getting angry or frustrated always made it worse.

The dull ache it used to be, the one he could deal with more or less, was long gone. Lately, it's turned into legitimate white-hot jolts of pain so intense that it paralyzes his breathing and brings him close to passing out.

He knew he should be more worried than he was. This pain has been pushed to the back of his mind for so long that he's gotten used to his daily routines including these breathing exercises.

He'll deal with it tomorrow.

He'll find another healer to get their opinion once this week's meetings are done.

The excuses go on and on and the little voice in his head is getting louder with worry…

Footsteps approached from down the hall. Before Zuko could straighten up, he recognized the steady pound of boots and who they belonged to. He decided to stay in his resting position, unworried about standing tall for this particular man. The footsteps stopped in the archway.

"You look terrible."

In any other circumstance, anyone who spoke to him like that would be in trouble. Disrespecting the Fire Lord like that was not allowed, but Zuko let it slide with this man. He was the captain of his personal guard – highly trained, hand-picked elites charged with protecting the Fire Lord at all costs.

The captain wasn't much older than him, two or three years maybe, but his skill in combat and leadership were far beyond his age. He was an extremely talented fighter, and completely loyal to Zuko and the rest of the guard. The past few years in his service proved he was capable of handling the title placed on him. Their friendship, though, was rather recent and one that surpassed titles these days. It was friend and friend before Lord and Captain. Of course, he always showed Zuko the respect he deserved, but when they were alone, they spoke freely for the most part.

Zuko looked up at the other casually leaning against the arch. He and some of his men were probably the closest things he had to true friends these days. All of his time spent building friendships with others, but they were superficial and it was not personal in the slightest. He could be more of himself around his guard than anyone else around here.

His captain threw that remark out with slight humor in his voice and Zuko picked up on that, but he wasn't in the mood for lightheartedness.

"I _feel_ terrible," he admitted, though regretting it as soon as he did. His captain looked surprised, almost as much as Zuko was with himself. He never said things like that, even to him.

Ignoring the slight embarrassment from the slip, Zuko sat straight. He told only a small handful of people about his condition lately; his advisor, who felt the need to try to baby him earlier by canceling the 'tiresome' meetings and the captain were among them. Both of them practically forced the truth out of him when they realized something was going on.

"People can make themselves sick if they overwork. I bet that's your case."

"Maybe."

"When's the last time you had a day off?"

"The Fire Lord never gets a day off from his duties," he said with spite because, these days, that was all too true.

"Yeah, yeah I know, but you should take some R&R or what happened this morning could happen again later today."

Zuko sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. So, he _had_ noticed. Shen, his captain, was in the room with him during the discussion. Someone from his personal guard always was. Zuko would have to try harder to hide it when it happened again. Shen wasn't the only sharp one in the room.

He could sense Shen's questions on the verge of being asked; the same ones that have been brought up a thousand times already. Getting ahead of it, he gave him a look that spoke the entire conversation in seconds.

' _I've already spoken to the best healers around. You should know. You went with me every single time. Do I have to repeat again what_ all _of them told me? Medicines don't work. They even tried to give me a placebo to make it stop. You're the one who pointed it out, remember? I even had a 'blessing' from a Fire Sage – forget how awkward and pointless that was? No one knows what's going on with me. Stop asking. Stop bringing it up. There's no change…and there might not ever be.'_

It was like Shen could read every word he thought. His mouth closed, but Zuko could still feel the weight of his eyes bearing down on him. It made him look away. With a more serious tone, the captain made the right choice and veered the subject. "I may be speaking out of place here, but some of those generals will take any excuse to exploit a weakness. I can tell you've been worried about it lately."

"You _are_ speaking out of line, but when has that ever mattered?" Zuko asked. "It's obvious some of them still don't think I'm capable. No one openly talks about it when I'm around, but if there's one thing this place is known for, it's the rumors and how true they tend to be."

Zuko really needed to stop talking. His mood to complain was going to have him say something more than he should. Shen was right, though. Their culture was still damaged from the war. Only power and strength were respected and followed in the Fire Nation, and Zuko doubted things would change in his lifetime.

He was stuck playing by the rules his forefathers created for now, and he was going to lose the game if this new crutch of his got into their hands.

"I'll deal with them how I always have," he said quietly.

Sensing the topic was done being discussed, Shen rounded back, "Call off anything you have for the afternoon and go take a nap or something. You'll feel better."

"And if I say no?"

"I could always give you a broken nose, then you'd be forced to lie down for a bit."

Zuko scoffed, part of him wondering if he'd actually do it.

He didn't feel like arguing any further. Shen was probably right. If a slip up like that happened again in front of a larger group of people, he wasn't sure what would come of it.

"Alright."

"Excuse me, Fire Lord Zuko?"

The sound of a young woman's voice made both him and Shen straighten up. She bowed and the brown-haired captain stepped aside to let her in. "I'm sorry to bother you, but I bring news."

"What is it?"

"We have just received word from the Southern Water Tribe that their representatives will be arriving earlier than scheduled."

"How early?"

"They are expected within the next few days."

He looked at her curiously. The gathering wasn't for nearly another month. They would be arriving weeks ahead of time.

"Did they mention why they've decided to come so early?"

"They said that this time of year plagues the southern waters with storms, and they elected to leave before it worsens."

It was true. Back when he was a restless teen pouring his heart and soul into finding the Avatar, he sailed the Southern Ocean this time of year. It was far more dangerous than the stories tell. However, Zuko wasn't entirely convinced. Couldn't some of their benders handle the stormy waters?

He brushed the question off a second later. He didn't mind if they arrived early. It would be their loss for having to wait a few weeks for the festivities to begin.

"I guess it wouldn't be all that bad. I have business with ambassador Rako. His early arrival will speed things up," he said more to himself than anyone else. "Have rooms prepared for them."

She bowed. "Yes, my lord, but there is more. Ambassador Rako will not be coming. His wife has fallen gravely ill and he chose to stay with her."

Zuko started rubbing his neck again with a sigh. Blaming his mood, he couldn't help his annoyance. He had business with Rako that was supposed to be taken care of when he arrived. If he wasn't coming at all this was going to set him back another few months. It was time he didn't have.

Of course, that thought was so slight he barely noticed it. He would never hold it over Rako in his circumstance. He understood completely.

"That's unfortunate. Please send my regards." She bowed again and Zuko continued, "Will anyone be coming in his stead?"

"Yes, the chief's daughter will be attending as acting ambassador."

He froze. Katara was coming? He hasn't seen her in years. He heard news of her from Aang and her brother when he visited on occasion, but never anything directly from her. Both of their lives became very busy after the war. The last time he recalled seeing her was his coronation.

He nodded. "Very well."

She bowed again, then left the study.

"They're sending a woman as an ambassador?" Shen asked.

"It's not uncommon for the water tribes. They have mostly traditional roles, but women get involved in government business regularly, especially in the southern pole."

Shen nodded thoughtfully. "It'll be interesting to see how she's treated when she gets here."

"I'll make sure she's treated with as much respect as any other ambassador," he snapped.

"That sounded a little defensive."

"I know the chief's daughter personally," Zuko hesitated, "or at least, I used to."

Unexpectedly, the thought made him a little sad. To this day, he considered her a closer friend than most even though their friendship was a little…odd to say the least. They weren't ever really close with each other, yet he was involved in some very personal instances in her life. And she in his. Her mother's killer. His slight breakdown in the caves underneath Ba Sing Se.

He sat down only once to write her letter but never got past the first word. What was he supposed to say exactly? It all felt a little too…awkward. He put the brush down, walked away, and hasn't tried again since.

"Her name is Katara, right? The Avatar's girlfriend?"

Zuko never really discussed his past with Shen. Things never got that personal between them, but he didn't need to hear Zuko's stories about Katara to know who she was. Her name was already well known around the world.

"Yes."

"Well, in that case, I won't worry about it."

Zuko rubbed the back of his neck absentmindedly again. The throbbing pain from earlier was gone now as expected. Now he was just dealing with a residual dull ache. Shen eyed his movements.

"You know, I know someone who could really make you feel better," he said as he gestured to his neck, or so Zuko thought. "A remedy that works wonders for stress."

"If this someone is that skilled, I will pay any amount to him to get rid of this," he said with sarcasm laden in his voice. Though, it really would be nice to get those pain-caused knots worked out…

The captain smiled and crossed his arms. "I'll see what I can do."

The conversation fell to silence. Finally feeling back in control of his body, Zuko stood up and headed toward the door. Shen had already left.

Just thinking about taking a nap now made him drowsy, and he walked off toward the royal wing.

* * *

Zuko stepped into his bedroom after leaving the private bathhouse, hot water drops still clinging to him in certain areas because he was too lazy to dry off completely. While he didn't feel rejuvenated, he did feel more relaxed and better in general. Now all he wanted to do was pass out onto his silken sheets and forget about everything for a few hours.

He was barely five steps from his bed before a feeling of uneasiness settled over him, and it only took an instant to sense that he was not alone in the room. Out of instinct, he tensed up and looked around. His eyes met a young woman who immediately looked down and bowed.

"My Lord, I am sorry for coming into your personal quarters without your permission."

"What are you doing here?" If she was some sort of assassin sent to kill him, she was in for a surprise.

"Captain Shen sent me."

He squinted his eyes in confusion. He really sent someone? He thought his answer came across as sarcastic.

"Are you some sort of healer?"

"Of sorts, I suppose." After one more look at her, he suddenly realized who she was and what she was here for. Her tight and slightly revealing clothing were already odd to begin with. He sighed and rolled his eyes. Someone who could make him relax? That was a matter of opinion.

She was not a healer, she was a mistress. The thought almost made him laugh. Almost. Zuko toyed with the idea of making Shen run ridiculous errands around the city for him for doing this. He should have known. Shen's kind of relaxation was spending time with women.

He looked the young woman over once again. She was beautiful, and the sudden thought of getting a release passed through his mind, but before he dwelt on it any further he walked towards her.

A 'kind' gesture maybe, but he was not in the mood. Or rather, he didn't want to be. It was hard to explain, but being with this stranger of a woman right now was not going to make him feel better. Being alone was.

"You may go." Her eyebrows shot up in surprise. At the rejection, she averted her gaze and her cheeks flushed red. Feeling incredibly awkward now, Zuko tried to keep his voice as stiff as it usually was when the Fire Lord spoke to people. "I'm not angry, but I don't want any company right now. I appreciate your…willingness to come to me, but please don't come back."

She silently nodded, then quickly left the room without a glance at him. He sighed at the lingering unpleasant air and made a mental note to explain to Shen his definition of relaxation in the future. He…he may have spent time with mistresses in the past, but to have one just casually sent to his room? He didn't even know her name.

He fell back onto his bed and stared at the ceiling.

Against his better judgement, he couldn't help but wonder what sort of 'stress relief' that woman had to offer. It was months since he last had a decent night of one of his favorite bad behaviors. Truth be told, he's been getting an itch for it lately and he's more than once thought about seeking it out one of these nights.

Him, sneaking around with palace mistresses like he was some teenager with a secret to hide. Who would have thought?

Though, that _was_ a secret to hide. He could only imagine the way his advisors would skewer him alive if they found out the sort of company he's kept since Mai left him.

He sighed away his lewd thoughts before he could get too worked up. Not only was sleep the only thing he wanted to cling to right now but given the issue of the searing pain in his chest, any physical activity like that might trigger an episode.

Instead, he thought of the conversation earlier about the southerners coming early. It was strange that they would want to be away from their home for so long. But, once again, he didn't mind. Business, as usual, would continue. He'd just have guests in the palace.

Sokka would be among them. It would be nice to see him again. Though they weren't exactly best buds, their mutual respect for each other and history of friendship made him someone he'd like to hang around more than others.

And his sister…

The eyes of the shorter waterbender entered his mind, always wide and full of emotion. Those were always the easiest to remember about her. They were either always glaring at him or looking at him with a deep understanding that not many have ever come close to.

He closed his eyes and breathed out.

From what he heard from Aang and others, she was on the front lines to rebuilding the Southern Water Tribe. She was happy, and he took their word for it, but still regretted not speaking to her all these years.

Each time a chance to see each other arose, one of the two always had business and couldn't make the meeting. He wondered if she would look different. She was a woman now, after all. Maybe she changed?

Something told him that she hadn't much. She would probably still be the bossy, overprotective, and invasive girl he remembered. She would also still be one of the most compassionate, kind, and selfless people he had ever met no doubt as well.

His hand ghosted to his chest and lightly rubbed the scar there; the wound he willingly took so that Katara did not. The scar he walked away with – a small price to pay with his life on the line. Even though it might be right back on with this unrelenting pain.

His wall of denial he built is starting to crack…

Zuko felt the slow tug of sleep come over him. With his thoughts fading like whispers, Zuko slipped into sleep, the last image in his mind of the blue-eyed waterbender.


	3. The Fire Palace

A/N: Thank you all for the wonderful reviews! You inspire me to no end! Few thoughts about upcoming chapters:

These next few chapters, to some, may seem like a lot of filler and not having much to do with the main story line (Spirit World breach). Trust me, though, each and every scene has been thought out and applies to the story in many different ways. It may not seem it, but there's vital information being given at every corner. There are deeper themes I'm trying to bring to life before the main event and they do take time to build. These slower parts will make sense down the road.

Thank you again, for all you followers, and enjoy!

Disclaimer: No own, no sue.

* * *

 _Chapter 3_

 **The Fire Palace**

...

Katara gazed out the window at the fading sunlight; its orange and red hues setting the sky ablaze. It was truly unique sunset. The rich colors of the sky complimented the city below it perfectly. The light reflected off of the gold clad red rooftops of the buildings, making it look like each one of them were set with a brilliant, golden fire.

A perfect Fire Nation setting. It made her wonder if the gold outlining was chosen for this very reason - to look so mesmerizing every sunset.

Though it seemed still from where she was, dancing lights in the distance hinted at the bustling night life about to begin. More than once, she looked towards it in yearning, wishing to walk through the streets and take in all the sights.

Only a portion of the city she longed to see was visible from her room. The rest of her view was dominated by the massive palace courtyard. It was mostly a wide open space cut down the middle with an intricate stone pathway that led straight to the palace doors. Various guards were stationed nearly everywhere she looked, many dressed in what seemed to be more decorative armor than anything.

Decorative, luxurious, grand, lavish.

Those words explained perfectly everything she saw since this afternoon. The last time she was in the Fire Nation, Katara noted that things were more extravagant and artistically designed than anywhere else, but this time she slowed to actually take in all the details.

Even post-war the Fire Nation was the wealthiest in the world. Everything about its capitol, everything about this palace made it quite obvious. The people here seemed to have a deeply ingrained taste for luxury in all things. Literally.

Even the room she was staying in, which was supposed to be a guest bedroom, was large and full of Fire Nation style décor. Everything from the furniture to the windows to the door itself was a work of art. The air here smelled and felt expensive. It made it all very pleasant to study and stare at, distracting her from her boredom all evening.

To be quite honest, all of this was making her a little jealous. Not because she wanted to be rich, but because the southern 'palace' was not yet adorned with art from their culture. They were still working on that.

The figures of people moving along the path in the courtyard pulled her from her wistful thoughts. She walked that same path only a few hours ago.

After nearly two weeks of sailing through rough waters and seeing nothing but blue in every direction, they finally arrived at the Fire Nation Capitol. Excitement filled the air as everyone on the ship gazed at the sight before them as they docked. For many, that was the first time they laid eyes on the Fire Nation's grandest city.

It was so long since she last saw such a mesmerizing view; so long since she was able to travel that she'd forgotten just how much she missed it. Nothing would ever compare to the beauty of the Southern Pole, but the view of the city and the lush green trees came close. She was also reminded how much she missed warm air. Not having to wear thicker clothes and feeling a warm breeze brush freely against her skin felt almost liberating.

When they did finally dock at the pier, a welcoming party was there to greet them. At first, some on the ship were hesitant to get off once they caught sight of soldiers accompanying the dignitaries. It was a cautious response bred by years of war. However, the ambassadors and those that had already been there walked off the ship with confidence and the hesitant ones followed.

Men dressed in intricate red and black robes bid them welcome. Katara expected to see Zuko among them, but he was absent and would be greeting them when they arrived at the palace courtyard. So, they walked.

Katara began absentmindedly tapping her fingers against the vanity desk she was seated at while still gazing out the glass window. Though, her thoughts no longer lingered on the sight, but instead swam with concern.

Once they set sail, the few of them that knew the real reason they were leaving early were given more information. Clues that Katara desperately wished to hear since she heard the news. Apparently, the person that requested healers from both tribes was one of Zuko's trusted advisors. He was also the one that pushed for so much secrecy about the fact that the Fire Lord was sick.

Of course, Katara didn't need someone to explain why it was hush hush. People in leadership positions like that risked scrutiny if word got out that they were ill. She understood that and was fully willing to keep that secret. That is, until she heard something she did not expect.

This secret of their being here was kept from Zuko himself.

They were strictly asked not to breathe a word of it to him under any circumstance. Needless to say, Katara and the others were shocked by that bit of information. Zuko was sick, and yet he wasn't supposed to know help was being sent for him? It made no sense, and when she asked, she was not given the response she wanted.

They were told to 'standby' until the advisor in question specifically asked for their help. That was it. That was all they knew. They were told to just wait in silence - to _watch_ and _wait_. That was something unacceptable to Katara, and frankly, she didn't know if she'd be able to honor that promise.

It made sense now why her father referred to this situation as a rumor. They had nothing to go off of other than someone's whispered word.

However, as she fumed over that information for days, or lack thereof, something did occur to her. In trying to understand why on earth Zuko was not to know, a brief thought offered a possible explanation. Zuko had always been very, very stubborn. He also had a mountain of pride to go along with that trait. If he were in denial about his illness, he wouldn't ask for help. It would make sense why his advisor was sneaking around him to get them there.

Though, Zuko was not as brash as he was when he was younger. By the time he joined them in their quest to end the war, something had already humbled him considerably. Katara had a hard time imagining him still childish enough to be in denial about something like that. Then again, she hadn't seen Zuko in so long, what did she know about him anymore?

She waited impatiently for the answer the entire trip there. She wasn't going to get it, though.

When they arrived at the massive palace courtyard, apologetic faces met them. Zuko was not there. A man apologized to them and said that Zuko had an emergency and had to leave unexpectedly. A few people spoke in whispers about it, but though she tried, she couldn't hear what they were saying. Of course, she immediately assumed the worst happened.

If not for Sokka stopping her, she would have pressed for more information. All they were told was that he would join them later tonight when they met for dinner. They were brought inside and offered a brief tour of some of the palace, then eventually led to their rooms to take the afternoon to settle in. It took a lot to not march out of that room, find the advisor (she still didn't know his name or his face) and start demanding answers.

Katara could be a patient person, but not with something like this.

She stood up and began pacing.

All afternoon, the only thing she could think about was why Zuko was a no-show. The people didn't act like their ruler was in any sort of danger, but that only put her slightly at ease.

She glanced around the room completely bored and restless, trying to distract herself from her worry. After pacing around the room a few times, she ended up back at the large vanity and sat back down. There was one whisper she _did_ hear earlier, barely though. Apparently, it was customary for Zuko to greet important guests every arrival. This was the first time he had ever been absent for one.

She heard a light knock at the door. Finally, her escort arrived. After giving her a kind greeting, Katara eagerly followed the other woman to the dining hall; an afternoon of impatience finally coming to an end.

What was she going to say to him once she did see him? All she wanted to do was ask him forbidden questions. As much as she didn't like the idea, she really was going to try to follow the request asked of her. She wouldn't say anything obvious to him, but that didn't mean she wasn't going to press for information one way or another.

* * *

Zuko walked quickly down the hall, trying to make up for lost time. He was going to be the last to show up to dinner; a very uncustomary thing for the Fire Lord. Being bothered by it was probably unnecessary though, he was already late.

As he walked, his mind reeled over the events of the day. A very strange day to say the least. Not only was his morning abnormally busy with requests, but it was also the first time he ever missed a political visitor's arrival. Definitely something he would have to sincerely apologize for. He wasn't sure what the Southern Water Tribe's customs were for greeting foreign visitors, but in the Fire Nation, it was very important. He not being there could be taken as a sign of disrespect.

However, that was not what was plaguing his thoughts the most at the moment. It was what pulled him away from the greeting in the first place.

Zuko's expression was tense, mirroring the sudden shift in his mood. He felt ill-equipped for the 'emergency' he stepped away to deal with all afternoon. It was made terribly evident when he walked away leaving more questions than answers. This problem was one he has never been faced with before and he wasn't entirely sure how he was going to handle it yet.

" _Running out of time…"_

 _"A shadow upon us..."_

Zuko shook his head, ridding his thoughts of the eerie words that were repeated to him so many times today. That man. Zuko was convinced he was sick now. He may have doubted it when the sage wandered into the palace days ago, but he was certain whatever was wrong with him was making him delusional.

As he approached the archway, the guards straightened up at the sight of him. He quickly shoved the concerning thoughts to the back of his mind. They would have to wait. He paused momentarily, collecting himself and quickly running through his head who he'd be meeting in there. Putting on his political face, he stepped in.

The people standing in the room saw him and it quieted down instantly. The lead ambassador walked up and greeted him. He did the same while apologizing for his earlier absence and rudeness. To his relief, he didn't seem concerned with it in the slightest. As others began to speak to him, he scanned the faces in the room, most of them familiar.

The ambassadors, Sokka, and other VIPs from the Southern Water Tribe were there dressed in formal attire, consisting of the typical blue, white, and purple hues. A handful of Fire Nation dignitaries were also in the room; a couple of them he would have preferred not to be here. He turned his attention back to the man in front of him, and almost missed a smaller figure staring at him intently.

When he glanced back, his eyes met Katara's.

The first thing that went through Katara's mind the moment she saw him was that he was _huge_. The tall, lean teenager from her memories was suddenly replaced by a large, muscular man. Though, she couldn't tell if some of his size was due to the royal outfit he was in or not.

It was such an odd sight that for a moment she looked at him in wonder. Of course he would grow up into this, but she never imagined it before. Whenever she thought of Zuko, it was always the boy from her memories, not this man in front of her.

There was also something else about him that was new. He held his head high, and there was a level of confidence and power ingrained in his stature. Zuko had always been proud, but this was different. It was obvious he was royalty, and he didn't need the clothes to tell people that. It somehow radiated off of him.

She was relieved to find at least one thing that hadn't changed. His eyes were still the same amber color she remembered.

Zuko was not as surprised at Katara's new appearance as she was his. With her filling his thoughts lately, he expected to see a change. It would make no sense to see the same girl he used to know. She was so obviously a woman now, everything about her screamed it. It was different from what he expected, though, and for a fleeting moment, he felt as if he were meeting someone new entirely. That is, until he heard her voice.

"Zuko," she said.

Suddenly, he became hyper aware of the scar below his chest. The sound of her voice quickly ignited the memory of how he got that scar in the first place.

"Katara," he started, "It's been awhile."

She offered him a smile. Katara didn't realize that just the turn of her lips meant something more for Zuko. More than anything, her face in fear was what he remembered most lately thanks to the rampant pain in his chest. He forgot what her smile looked like and wondered how he ever did in the first place.

"It has. It's good to see you," she said.

"How have you been?"

"I've been great. Actually, more than great. Rebuilding the tribe has taken a lot of my time over the years, but I've loved every minute of it."

"So I've heard. Aang has told me a lot about it."

His advisor interrupted, "Speaking of the Avatar, I was under the impression he'd be arriving with you."

Zuko shot the man a glare for his rudeness. He either ignored it or didn't seem to notice.

The lead ambassador answered, "He has business in the Earth Kingdom and will be arriving in time for the assembly."

"I see," said the advisor. He then began asking more questions and others in the room became engaged in it.

Zuko turned back to Katara, apologetic. She shrugged and smiled lightly. She wasn't worried about it. There would be plenty of time to speak later.

While watching Zuko turn to the others to continue exchanging pleasantries, Katara remained silent. Usually, her greetings were a lot warmer than the formal one they just shared. In different circumstances, she would have thrown her arms around him in a hug, giving him the 'hello' she gave most of her friends.

She wanted to ask him how he was these days and what sort of fun he'd been up to. She wanted to know those details and more, but she stayed quiet. There was something else on her mind more pressing than catching up with an old friend.

Her eyes watched him intently. He stood tall, he walked fine, and he spoke normally. So far, there was absolutely nothing about him that led her to believe he was sick. Aside from the light bags under his eyes and the far off look that settled in them, he seemed perfectly healthy. Maybe when he was pulled away earlier it really wasn't because of his health. Left very confused by it, she continued to watch him, waiting for something to give her even a slight clue.

After a few minutes, everyone moved to the grand dining table and knelt on the plush seats. Katara sat next to Sokka, and she was three seats away from Zuko who sat at the head of the table. Conversations buzzed in the room and within moments, the food was brought out. The foreign food was met with mixed reactions, but most were approval. Katara, in particular, was eager to taste it. Though, at closer inspection, the plates looked like they held expensive works of art. When a small dish was placed in front of her, she wanted to look at it more than eat it.

Sokka had been speaking to Zuko since they sat down. She turned to listen.

"-I mean look, it's even fancier than last time," Sokka said as she gestured toward the plate in front of him. "I don't know whether to eat it or put it in an art museum."

"New chef," Zuko shrugged.

Against his words, Sokka didn't waste a second admiring the dish and shoved a large bite of food into his mouth. "Wow."

"I see now why Fire Nation cuisine is considered the world's best," said a man next to Katara. "My compliments to your cook."

Zuko nodded. Sokka glanced curiously at Zuko's empty plate. "Where's yours?"

"I get a special dish through the insistence of my guard."

"Why?"

"To check for poisons before it's brought out."

Some people stopped and stared down at their food. Zuko quickly added, "I assure you that you have nothing to worry about. It's just an added precaution."

"Yes, a very much needed precaution. It would be terrible to have a repeat of a few years ago," said the advisor. This time, he definitely noticed Zuko's glare and shut his mouth instantly.

"A repeat?" asked Katara, "What happened?"

Zuko hesitated. This was not something he wanted to get into over dinner. He spoke anyway. "It was an assassination attempt. Someone tried to poison my food, but luckily it was discovered beforehand. Since then my guard has taken this precaution."

"I had no idea," said Sokka.

"No one really knows. It wasn't made public." He shot a stern look at his advisor, who looked apologetic. "When it happens it's not exactly a secret we keep, it's just not openly discussed."

Katara looked at him with wide eyes.

'When it happens'? Just how many times has someone tried to kill Zuko? Aang never once mentioned assassination attempts to her. All in a moment, it made Katara wonder if this palace was as safe as she first assumed. She didn't know how she'd react in Zuko's situation, but being nonchalant about it was not one of them. Zuko must have been living in fear of people trying to kill him these past years.

"May I ask who made such an attempt?" the lead ambassador asked. The room quieted down.

"I prefer not to go into detail. What matters is that it was stopped and no one was hurt." Most people seemed satisfied with his answer. Katara was not one of them. "That kind of danger has nearly disappeared in the past year and a half, though. The attempts have stopped."

Sensing the end of the conversation, the ambassador changed the subject to a more political nature. The apprehension in the air about the previous discussion faded with the new topic. They discussed improvements each nation made over the past year and hopeful plans for the future. Sokka joined in, but Katara kept quiet.

While he didn't want to get into this type of discussion so soon, as long as it stayed away from policy and trade, Zuko was fine with it. They spoke very animated about the future and what it could bring for the Southern Pole. Their recent surge in economic prowess and prosperity had the end of the war to thank for that. One of the first things Zuko did as Fire Lord was open restricted trading routes around the world.

It was now easy for the corners of the world to trade without having to pay high trade tax or not being able to trade in certain areas at all. However, that choice came at great cost. Their own economy took a hit because of the free trade policy. It was something many of his people were bitter about since.

As he spoke with various others around the table there was one person that remained abnormally silent. Katara hadn't said much at all. She chimed in here and there, but was very quiet otherwise. There was also something else going on with her that was strange.

He could swear that since he sat down, Katara had been starring at him. He thought he was being paranoid about it, but he had the distinct feeling that someone was boring their eyes into him. It was definitely her, or at least, he thought so. Every time he turned to look at her, she was turned away, leaving him to wonder if he was seeing things.

"So Zuko, you'll have to meet my son when Suki brings him later this month."

"I heard about him. Congratulations. The last time you were here she was pregnant at the time I believe."

"Thanks. I hope the weather is good enough to sail through. I really want Suki to see the gala and festival." Sokka leaned back and starred off longingly. "Having a family has been a challenge, but I'd say it's the best thing that ever happened to me."

"Planning on having any more?" Zuko asked as he took a sip of his wine.

"Of course. Suki and I argue on the number, but a few more would be nice."

Zuko and Sokka were very different, but this aspect was by far the furthest stretch between the two. Their view on family life was nearly polar opposite. Sokka was glad and excited to be having children already. They were the same age, but Sokka was definitely light-years ahead of him in that area. Mostly because Zuko put off such a commitment for a very long time. Ever since Mai walked out on him, he avoided the idea of dating and marriage like a plague. There were far bigger issues to worry about than starting a family.

As if sensing his thoughts, Sokka slyly smiled and turned to him. "Speaking of which, find anyone special yet, Zuko?"

Zuko would have sighed if it weren't Sokka asking the question. The one thing he hated most about gatherings like these, was that question. Depending on the crowd, once he gave his answer, they'd casually introduce their daughter to him, or their sister, or their cousin or whatever family member was available. This situation was unique though, because unless Sokka was going to offer him Katara, he could say exactly what he felt about this subject. There was no need to casually dodge it to avoid offending someone.

He still didn't want to talk about it, though.

"No."

"I heard a rumor you took a fancy to governor Rao's daughter," commented one of his staff members.

"It's just a rumor, Lee. There's a new one every week."

He wouldn't have this problem if Mai were still around. She left him years ago, telling him he loved his secrets more than her. In a way, she was right; that truth took him years to accept. He felt incredible guilt over it for a while, but after time, he didn't regret it. Like he said earlier, family was not something he wanted. If Mai had stayed, it would have led to that by now. It often felt like the day she walked away was the day his chance for a family disappeared with her.

Zuko frowned.

He'd been harassed to get married and have a child a lot lately. People would tell him that it was his duty to provide an heir and ensure that his blood lines continued, he was the only one left, after all. Marriage was so incredibly far down his list at the moment and a political pairing had disgusted him in the past. Though, now that he was buried in his duties and had listened to the same crap for years, it didn't seem like a bad idea as much. Better to get it done and over with and move on.

He felt blue eyes on him again. Looking quickly this time, he finally caught her. He held Katara's eyes for a good moment, waiting for her to say something - to give him an explanation for all her lingering gazes. She quickly looked away, but Zuko stubbornly left his eyes on her. To his annoyance, she refused to look back at him and he decided to wait until she did.

"Yeah, it must not be easy being the world's most eligible bachelor," said Sokka.

"What?" Zuko shot a surprised look at Sokka, breaking his stare from Katara whose eyes wasted no time to land on him _once again_.

"That's what they're calling you these days," Sokka said with a mouth full of food, which earned an elbow nudge from Katara.

"I see."

Fire Lord Zuko, the world's most eligible bachelor. What a joke.

Conversations continued on until Zuko's annoyance got the better of him. He turned straight to Katara and asked something that would make her look at him. He was finally able to hold Katara's gaze when he asked her about the Southern Water Tribe and what she'd been doing. Her expressionless face lit up when she told him about it. Everything she told him were things he already heard from Aang, but he listened intently anyway. After that conversation ended, to his relief, her eyes stopped boring into him and she stopped staring.

What was with her tonight?

Zuko noted that when he brought up the fact that they arrived early, they were quick to answer and even quicker to change the subject. There were a couple of them that even avoided eye contact with him at the topic change. That bit did not go unnoticed and an inkling of suspicion began to grow. He would brush it off as paranoia, but years of experience with political scheming would not let him. Katara's eyes were back on him.

Zuko sighed. He'd have to do something about that.

Dinner soon ended and farewells were passed around. Many of the tribesman swayed as they stood up, unused to the hard Fire Nation liquor they were drinking all evening. They quickly discussed a time and day for their next meeting and one by one they took their leave.

Katara was puzzled by the way Zuko was acting as the room slowly emptied. She could swear that relief filled his face with each person that left through the door. His face also looked more tired every passing moment, the dinner appearing to have drained him. It wasn't that surprising though, considering what she saw all evening.

There was something about Zuko that was very different from what she remembered. For one, he was extremely formal with everything he said, as if putting emotion into his words were something forbidden. Every answer he gave, every question he asked seemed almost…mechanical. She wouldn't go as far as saying he was hollowed out, but the passion he once had was greatly diminished.

Exhaustion didn't do that to people.

After a while, Zuko, Sokka and Katara were the only ones left in the room aside from the servants cleaning up the dinner table. Sokka was about to bid him goodnight, but Zuko interrupted, "Hold on, there's something I want to show you."

He started walking towards an archway at the far end of the room and Sokka followed. "Alright."

Zuko glanced back at the shorter woman still standing and debating whether or not she should leave. "Coming?"

She paused for a moment then followed. "Where are we going?"

"You'll see."

Through the archway, there was a dimly lit sitting room. It was large and a little hard to see because of the lack of light. Once Katara's eyes adjusted, she followed the two men and sat down on one of the seats. She was momentarily distracted by the view behind her. The entire wall was a series of windows that offered a spectacular view of the city; much better than the one her room had.

While Katara was fixed with the scene behind her, Zuko opened a bottle of wine and poured a glass.

"I remember you said you wanted some of this the next time you were here."

Katara turned in time to see Zuko hand Sokka the glass.

"Is this that rare wine I heard about?"

"Yes. Southern Blueberry wine. I've been told this bottle is one of the best brews they've made."

"I'm surprised you remembered. Thanks."

"Don't mention it."

It was a relief to get away from dinner. Unlike before, Zuko could casually lean back in the seat and fix himself in a more comfortable position. He didn't have to act as formal around these two, and he allowed himself to relax a bit. Sokka sniffed the glass and his face lit up in excitement, then turned to Katara. "This wine is so rare and delicious there's a rumor that it costs a small fortune for just one bottle."

"It's not a rumor," said Zuko as he poured another glass.

"I knew it."

Katara mumbled something with the words 'rich' and 'spoiled', but Zuko didn't care enough to ask her to repeat herself. He handed her a glass, but she declined. For a moment, his hand hovered in the air before he brought it back and took a sip. He thought it a little odd she didn't want any, but Sokka didn't bat an eye about it. He knew the Water Tribes were less prone to drink alcohol. He briefly wondered if Katara avoided it altogether.

Sokka took a sip as well.

"Everything you expected?" asked Zuko.

Sokka failed to hide the expression the burning alcohol had running down his throat caused. "And more." He took another sip.

For a few minutes, the men enjoyed their drinks and the three of them shared light conversation. They mostly discussed the voyage there and the things they saw and ran into on the way. The atmosphere between all of them became a little warmer as they spoke. Zuko was more interested in Katara, though. She was still quiet, and he was beginning to wonder what it was going to take for her to stop. When the topic ended, each of them sat in silence for a moment. Sokka finished the rest of his glass and set it down next to him.

Breaking the quiet, Katara spoke up, "Zuko?"

He looked to her. Her entire body was tensed up as though she were sitting on a bunch of ragged rocks and not a comfortable seat. Her hands were on her lap and bound into fists; eyes full of an intense concern. Sokka frowned at her.

"What is it?"

It was about time she spoke to him. He suspected her stares earlier were because she wanted to ask him something, or at the least had something to say. That's why he invited her to come into this room with him and Sokka – to see if she'd finally offer an explanation. Looks like he was right.

"Where were you earlier today? When we got to the palace, they said an emergency came up."

This was what was bothering her all evening?

"I'm sorry I wasn't there." He paused to take another drink, then added in a lower voice, "I normally consider greeting guests a high priority, but someone from the capitol temple said there was an emergency and asked me to come immediately."

"What was the emergency?"

"The leader of the Fire Sages was demanding to speak with me. So, I went to the temple to hear what he had to say."

"Wait a minute," said Sokka, "Aren't those the guys that tried to kill us for trying to get into their temple a few years ago?"

"Same order, but not the same men. Through demand of the public, a lot of them were replaced. The Fire Sages were originally supposed to be the Fire Nation's spiritual leaders. When the war started, their purpose was corrupted and they were eventually reduced to just a tool used to control the populace. They're finally back to serving their original purpose now, though."

"What did the sage have to say?" asked Katara.

Zuko hesitated for a moment. He still didn't know what to think of what the sage told him. When he did get to the temple, the man was going crazy. He was spouting off nonsense mixed with warnings to Zuko about some shadow and the end of the world. He didn't even bow in respect or speak formally to him. He literally ran up to him like a crazed lunatic and started telling him that 'time was running out'.

"Nothing really." Zuko took a last sip of alcohol from his glass and set it down. "He's sick and was a little delusional. I went there because he asked me to, but it turned out to be nothing. The other sages in the temple told me he's not been feeling well for a while now. Today was just particularly bad."

The sage didn't seem to understand where he was let alone what he was talking about. It was an odd sight, needless to say. The man was respected far and wide. He always had a calm demeanor and was truly a wise man. Seeing him act so out of control was no doubt disturbing for some.

Zuko included.

If that man wasn't who he was, Zuko would have forgotten about the incident and moved on. His ranting and raving wouldn't have worried him in the slightest. But he was a respected spiritual leader and it was never a good sign when someone like _that_ was spouting incomprehensible warnings.

Omens, luck, fate, faith.

Those things had very little meaning to Zuko. He was not a spiritual person, but something told him he should be worried about those warnings the sage had given him. Though, if he did take the warnings seriously, what was he supposed to do? What was he supposed to be afraid of; to prepare for? What was this shadow he kept talking about?

Katara looked down and brought her hand up to lightly pinch her chin. Her brow furrowed in concern.

"How odd. Our spiritual leader is sick too," she said.

"Interesting coincidence."

Zuko didn't think too much of it, but he tucked that information in the back of his mind.

With both Katara and Zuko deep in thought, Sokka downed the rest of his already empty drink and stood up. He nearly lost his balance, definitely feeling buzzed.

"Well," he said as he stretched, "I need to go find the little boy's room."

He headed towards the archway and glanced back, "Thanks for the drink, Zuko. We'll have to finish that before I leave."

Zuko nodded, "I'll see you tomorrow."

Before Sokka walked (stumbled) out of the room, he glanced at Katara. Technically, it was frowned upon for him to leave her there alone with another man. He was supposed to 'protect' his sister from things like that. Cultural and familial duty and all. He wasn't even slightly worried about Zuko and he left without a second thought.

Once left alone with Katara, a slight awkwardness filled the air. Zuko eyed her curiously; she was still acting off. He thought his explanation earlier would drop this odd behavior. She stood up and was about to tell him goodnight, but before the words could leave her mouth, Zuko spoke, "Was that what was bothering you earlier?"

She looked down at him. "What do you mean?"

"It looked like you wanted to ask me something during dinner. Was it about me not making the greeting?"

"Yes and no."

She turned her head slightly as if weighing her response. With the movement, her eyes caught the moonlight, and the angle she held them made it look like they were glowing a light crystal blue. Zuko was caught at the sight for a moment before he turned away.

"How are you feeling, Zuko?" she asked in a smaller voice.

"Huh?"

Suddenly, like before, he was aware of the scar on his chest. It hadn't been throbbing in pain at all today. Did he let something slip at dinner? He eyed her, unsure. "Why would you ask that?"

"You look tired. You seemed to be a little far off during dinner too."

 _'You would know. You were staring at me the whole time.'_

He bit his tongue. "It's been a long day _."_

 _'Week, month, year…'_ he mentally added.

"You should lie down. You need it."

Zuko was getting really tired of people telling him that lately. He had to stop himself from arguing it with her. If memory served him right, Katara had just as much fire as he did. He didn't know if Katara was still as argumentative as she use to be, but if he started he probably wouldn't stop until his point was made. For her sake he didn't want to ruin her first day here by getting into a fight about it. As much as it bothered him, he stayed silent.

"Has it been hard? Ruling I mean?"

Zuko stood up and Katara stepped back slightly. Without him really aware of it, he started rubbing the back of his neck.

"People have been divided since the war ended, but it seems the majority want peace. It's taken a long time, but things are really starting to turn around."

"But what about you? How has it been for _you_?"

He pulled his hand down, growing uneasy with how deep the conversation turned. Not a lot people ask him that question.

"It hasn't been easy, but it's what I was born to do. I'm happy with the way things are."

Katara gazed up at him with doubt crossing her face. She glanced out the window again, the moonlight catching her eyes like it did earlier.

"You don't sound very happy…" She said lightly.

Zuko didn't know what to say that didn't involve him snapping at her. He was annoyed again. How would she know if he was happy or not? She hadn't seen him in years and they'd hardly spoken at all, and she was already making judgments about him.

However, he did take a moment to attempt to see what she was seeing. He thought over their conversations at dinner, trying to find anything she may have mistaken. After some searching, he realized that the only high moments were when he talked about the prosperity of the Fire Nation and the rest of the world, the rest was small talk. He hadn't actually talked about himself at all.

No, that wasn't true.

His advisor let slip that assassination attempts were made, more than he cared to admit. He had to constantly watch his back to make sure people weren't out trying to kill him. He could admit that turned him far more distrustful of people than he used to be. He was more cautious, absolutely, but he wasn't unhappy.

He was still single and without a family. He could see how Katara, being extremely family oriented herself, could mistake that. But that was bound to happen in the future, whether he really wanted it to or not. It didn't make him unhappy because he didn't have it right this moment.

Ruling was hard, yes, but he wasn't going to let it drag him down. He made sure not to let the comments and actions of others affect him personally during his reign. There was always a way to deal with it, always a way to find a compromise. Even the pain he was experiencing lately, which made everything so much more stressful, was manageable. Difficult? Without a doubt, but he was not unhappy.

Though he felt satisfied with his conclusion, part of him was not. He looked into her intense eyes, and doubt began to weave its way through his thoughts. The moment he felt it, he tried to beat it down with the logic he just came up with, but the rising doubt would not subside. He suddenly shoved the thoughts away, unwilling to pick apart and look closer into this feeling of confusion.

Why wouldn't he be happy? Did he have a reason not to be?

He fidgeted slightly, baffled by the fact that he still hadn't answered her. His reaction to her words threw him for a moment. This woman managed to get him more perturbed with one sentence than anything else this entire week.

"I _am_ happy, Katara." Zuko swallowed. Why did those words sound like a lie all of a sudden?

Katara looked at him for a moment longer, unconvinced. Zuko could see questions swirling around in her eyes that he suddenly did not want to answer. He was more than relieved when she sighed and smiled, breaking the tension in the air. Though, Zuko could tell the turn of her lips was fake through and through.

"You're right. You just look tired and I was reading into it more than I should have. I'm sorry."

"It's fine," he said, suspicious of the change of energy from her. The way she was looking at him - what was she expecting him to say?

"It's getting late. I'm going to head back to my room, I don't want to keep you any longer."

Zuko cleared his throat. "Do you know the way back? I can get an escort if you don't."

"I'm pretty sure I know the room is at, thanks though," she turned and headed toward the archway, "Goodnight."

"Goodnight."

While the conversation had ended, his confusion still lingered. He raked through his mind and tried to make sense of it until a thought formed itself. He didn't consider himself unhappy, but now that he thought about it, he couldn't really say he _was_ happy. He…he was somewhere in between right now. Maybe it had been like that for a while.

The sudden realization enveloped his thoughts and he jumped slightly when he heard a voice.

"Oh, and Zuko?"

He faced Katara, who stopped in the archway. A hand was gripping the edge and she looked at him over her shoulder with a small smile. "I'm glad I'm here. It really is good to see you."

He nodded. The warmth of her words made him want to look away. He couldn't remember the last time someone spoke so softly to him like that.

"You too," he said lowly. She turned and disappeared.

His confusion earlier intensified now that she was gone. What did those blue eyes see in him that prompted her to say such a thing? He'd have to ask her.

Maybe.


	4. A Piece of Reality

A/N: Thank you all for the wonderful reviews you left, and I'm glad to see most of you are okay with the way things are going so far! Lots of world building this chapter. Pay attention to the little details!

Disclaimer: No own, no sue.

* * *

 _Chapter 4_

 **A Piece of Reality**

...

Katara glanced behind her, patiently waiting for her comrades to catch up. The city street she was in buzzed with activity. All around her, people of all ages and walks of life moved in every direction; their conversations mixing in the noon air. The street may have stretched far and wide, but there was barely enough room to comfortably move around. Shop owners and merchants filled every open space and were trying to entice potential customers to their wares as they passed, making it sound like the item held in their hands was worth all the world's riches.

The last time she walked through a Fire Nation city, she constantly checked over her shoulder and actively avoided any soldiers or other suspicious-looking people. Now, she didn't have a care in the world and let her bright mood radiate off her face noticeably. In fact, this time around, they were treated as nothing short of royalty thus far.

As people passed her, she smiled lightly when they made eye contact. Some of the time, she was met with strange stares, and their curious eyes usually lingered on her clothing. Apparently, blue robes stuck out like a sore thumb around here, even with the number of merchants from around the world surrounding them.

A few days passed since they arrived, and in those days they had a proper tour of the capitol. They saw the landscape, historic buildings, and even spent some time at the beach. It all turned into one nice vacation and an excellent opportunity to learn more about the culture. A few guides lead them every step of the way until leaving them in the city to roam as they pleased.

Katara's smile fell suddenly.

Though it was a nice getaway, she was constantly restless during it all. If she were being honest with herself, she felt guilty for enjoying herself so much. It seemed silly to be taking tours and playing around when there was something more pressing going on.

She hadn't seen Zuko at all; not since the night they all sat down for dinner. He was busy doing who knows what. The only people that saw him were Sokka and the lead ambassador, who both missed today's stroll into the city for business. She understood that she was there for other reasons, but she couldn't help but feel a little left out of what they were discussing.

Her worry and growing number of questions made her more agitated as time passed.

"Katara, you in there?" said a voice next to her.

She snapped her head towards the man that spoke. It was one of her people's diplomats that accompanied them here. Out of the rest of the five-man group she was with, she knew him the best. He was very close to her father.

"Sorry, I was just thinking." She turned to follow the rest of the group, who were now walking in front of her.

"About what?"

"Uh, the city," she hesitated. He wasn't one of the ones that knew about Zuko's illness. "I'd like to walk along the pier a little later."

"As your escort, I'd be happy to accompany you."

She rolled her eyes and smiled. "As much as I appreciate your 'protection', I think I can handle myself."

"I know. Just don't tell Sokka I let you run off by yourself."

They weren't exactly rules in their culture, but their values were around long enough that they often felt like they were. Men of the Water Tribe have always been fiercely protective of their women, and it was their solemn, self-assigned duty to keep them safe in every aspect of life. Though it was far different in the south than it was the north, which was a bit more traditional, it was a part of their culture that would likely never disappear.

The day her, Aang, and her brother set out into the world was the day Katara became an exception to the beliefs. She took care of herself, fought for herself, and became a soldier in her own way. Coming back to people that expected her to fall back into typical behavior was a little hard at first, but nearly all accepted her for what she became.

Still, this kind of treatment could never fully escape her.

"Something tells me he wouldn't care at all," she said.

"I believe there is a charge to walk in certain areas of the pier," said another, "The nicer areas with the shore garden, I think."

One of the more pessimistic men of the group scowled. "Charging money to walk somewhere? It's criminal."

The group hesitated as some children ran through them.

"Speaking of criminal, I heard a rumor this morning that the Fire Lord's personal guard are a bunch of convicts."

Katara's interest piqued at the words.

"I'd say that's about as likely as it sounds."

"Perhaps you should join his guard. With how many people you've offended since we got here, you'd fit right in."

"I don't know Fire Nation customs. Those were not my fault!" he complained, then pulled at his collar, something he'd done nearly all day. "Damn Fire Nation. It's too warm here."

"You should have listened to me when I told you to wear something lighter," she said matter-of-factly. At her words, he blushed in embarrassment and stubbornly looked away.

As men in the group continued speaking with each other, Katara stayed quiet and was busy staring to the side of her in awe. The Fire Nation capitol truly was rich with trade. They had a hard enough time getting a handful of merchants to travel to the south pole. She briefly imagined what the ice-packed streets would look like if it were full of the numbers surrounding her right now.

Caught up in her thoughts, she wasn't paying attention to where she was going at all and was almost knocked to the ground when she bumped into someone. The woman she hit started to fall back and Katara reached out and grabbed her arm to keep her up. Once they were both steady, she looked into the woman's eyes apologetically. "I'm sorry! I didn't mean to bump into you."

"It's fine," the stranger said lightly as she reached up and press her fingers to her forehead. For a moment, Katara eyed her outfit. Her heavy robes were not suited for the weather and they were a little odd, even in this diverse street. "I am sorry as well-"

The woman suddenly froze and widened her eyes. She looked down at Katara's hand, which was still on her shoulder. Katara instantly pulled back at her expression. The woman then locked eyes with her in a very uncomfortable, drawn-out silence. She was obviously surprised by something but offered no explanation for her staring. Katara was about to ask her if she was okay to get out of the suddenly very tense air, but was interrupted when another woman walked up to them.

"There you are!" The older woman wrapped her arm around her shoulders and started to turn her. "I know you're not feeling well, so please don't walk off like that again. Come, we're almost to the healing house."

The older woman led the other past Katara but didn't take her eyes from her. It was only when others blocked her vision that Katara lost sight of her.

"Katara, are you coming?"

Katara blinked and turned to her group. "Yes," she said and followed.

She glanced back at the place the woman disappeared one last time.

 _'That was weird,'_ she thought.

"Are we going back now?" one of them asked.

"Not yet," said another as he stopped, "There's one more thing I want to do."

They all stopped and followed his gaze. They stood in front of a restaurant that was decorated in black and gold. The open doors were letting out an irresistible, appetizing scent. It was enough to make Katara forget her strange encounter and she eagerly followed the others inside.

A young server greeted them and showed them to a table.

"I heard talk back at the palace that this was the best place to stop by on this street." He scanned the room as his face lit up. "And by the looks of it, it'll be a perfect way to end our stroll."

As they glanced through the menu, someone walked up. Katara looked up to see an older woman with graying hair dressed a little nicer than the other staff looking down at her. She had a polite smile ready but stiffened when the woman put her wrinkled hands on her hips, clearly very unhappy.

She was scowling at them so fiercely that she was taken aback by the expression.

For a moment, Katara backtracked and tried to remember anything one of them may have done to cause offense when they walked in. The others looked up one by one and stilled at the old woman's expression. Her dark eyes scanned all their faces until they landed on Katara again.

The woman pointed her finger straight at her. "Your kind are not welcome here."

All of them blinked in surprise. Some exchanged glances before she spoke again. "I do not serve Water Tribe in my restaurant. Leave."

While the rest of them were startled by her rude treatment, the grumpier member of their group spoke up with a glare to match the owner's. "That is incredibly prejudiced of you."

Someone turned to stop him before he could say anything else, but it was too late. Rage flashed through the woman's eyes.

"Prejudiced?! How dare you call me that!" she yelled.

Mixed conversations in the air hushed as people in the restaurant turned to them.

Though she was a little upset herself, Katara spoke calmly while nervously aware of all the eyes on them. "I'm sorry. If we did something to offend you-"

"Shut up!" she interrupted. That was all it took for Katara to lose her cool.

"Excuse me?!" she snapped. Someone behind her put a hand on her shoulder, ushering her to stop, but she ignored it. "What did we do to deserve this treatment?"

"Your people killed my husband in the war!" The woman's scowl remained, but her eyes suddenly looked frantic.

That shut Katara up real quick. Her frown vanished and she instantly lost the burning desire to argue. Completely caught off guard with the reveal, she stumbled through her thoughts for a response. The man next to her spoke, "The war is over. These are times of peace-"

Katara swallowed. She had conflicting instincts to argue back and to offer her condolences, but, given the situation, neither of them were a good idea. She stopped listening as her eyes shot around the room. At the owner's explanation, a handful of people turned away from the scene and acted as though nothing happened. Others just watched, but some bore into them with hateful eyes, silently taking the side of the older woman.

It was dead quiet from the crowd. Not one of them interfered as the argument escalated.

It was clear by consensus they were no longer welcome there. No one was standing up for them, and it didn't seem to matter that the restaurant owner was spitting in the face of everything both sides worked so hard to achieve.

Something deep in Katara, something she didn't even realize was there, felt wounded. She knew if the roles were switched and she was a spectator, she would have done something.

Katara didn't need to listen to any more of the argument to know that the woman's conviction wasn't going to change. It was obvious by her fierce tone that Katara and the others represented everything the older woman hated. In a sense, she had been there. She understood those feelings all too well. That's why she stayed silent as she began to get up. The other men silenced the one arguing with the owner and they all took their leave.

As they walked out, they listened to insults from the owner and were drowned in a sea of hateful stares. It was like time slowed and it took an eternity to get to the doors.

Never before had she felt so harshly judged for who she was and where she came from. It was one thing if it were times of war, but these were times of peace and it made it so much worse. All of them were silent as they walked away from the restaurant; a sullen face on each of them. It was easy to feel comfortable in this place after being welcomed and treated so warmly and respectfully thus far. It was a splash of cold reality that just hit them.

The war was over, but the wounds were still fresh.

The excitement of the day vanished and they agreed to go back to the palace. Only one of them was verbally expressing his frustration. Though, after a moment, one of the men turned to him.

"Enough!" he snapped, but his tone lowered a moment later. "Arguing with them about it is not going to make it any better. It's not right, but it doesn't matter. Just let it go."

Katara's chest burned with embarrassment and anger for the unfairness, but she didn't say a word. Now feeling unwanted among these people, all thoughts of visiting the pier vanished. They headed back the palace in silence.

* * *

Zuko walked slowly down the hall, not listening to the conversation going on behind him. His attendants were debating his schedule for the next few days and weighing what tasks needed to be done more urgently than others. This sort of thing happened every day and sometimes changed hourly. He would have commented and participated if he weren't so distracted and growing ever more agitated.

"Are you sure it was her?" Zuko interrupted, looking to one of his advisors.

The man in question looked at him quizzically before he caught onto Zuko's meaning. "Ah, yes. It was the same woman."

They turned a corner and his eyes zeroed in on the people was looking for.

Katara and the lead southern ambassador were speaking in hushed voices and there was an obvious frown on the waterbender's face. When they looked up and saw him approaching, they slowed. Zuko raised his hand to silence the conversation behind him.

"I heard there was an incident in the city earlier today. What happened?" he asked as he stopped right in front of them, not bothering to start with light conversation.

"How did you..?" Katara trailed off as she furrowed her brow. The lead ambassador looked at her expectantly and Zuko mimicked the same expression.

After a sigh, she gave the same story one of his attendants gave him only a few minutes ago. Though, she obviously trimmed off some of the finer points. When she was finished, he bound his fists tightly. "I should have that place shut down. Someone send for that restaurant owner."

"What? Zuko, wait," she said quickly. "It's fine, really."

"No, it's not. I don't know how things are done in the south pole, but here that was a huge insult to me as well as all of you. I am not going to let that go unnoticed."

A royal advisor chimed in from behind Zuko. "Giving such treatment to politicians such as yourselves is a crime here."

"It's a little harsh to take away her livelihood because of a small argument. Zuko, it's fine."

Zuko narrowed his eyes, completely surprised by her reaction. He couldn't remember Katara ever acting so calmly after someone hurled insults at her. Anyone in their right mind would be offended by the treatment they got earlier.

Under his skeptical gaze that never wavered, she frowned.

"It's not-"

"It really is," she interrupted, then folded her arms. "Please don't turn this into something it doesn't need to be."

A few behind him gasped in shock at her audacity to intentionally cut off the Fire Lord. Of course Zuko would let that slide, but the look she was now giving him was another story. It was the same expression he gave people when he wanted things done his way without argument. As long as he held his gaze, they usually caved in. He didn't realize she was using that same look on him until _he_ was the one beginning to feel uncomfortable.

Not liking the feeling at all, he sighed, "Fine." He turned to the people behind him. "But send someone to speak to her about her behavior."

"Yes, my lord."

Zuko turned back to her. "I'm only doing this because you asked, Katara."

"Thank you."

Katara was glad, more so than they realized. World-class politicians or not, taking away her diner just because of a disagreement was way too extreme. The woman may have been unbearably rude, but something like that was uncalled for. She briefly wondered if Zuko was that harsh in all his punishments; a troubling thought indeed.

Zuko turned to the lead ambassador. "That aside, we received a message I thought you'd be interested in. The north is expected to arrive tomorrow evening."

He hesitated and they waited for him to continue.

He continued, "You don't look surprised."

"We received word that they would be joining us within the next few days as well."

"They failed to give an explanation for their early arrival."

The ambassador didn't miss a beat. "I'm sorry, Zuko, I don't know why they chose to come so soon."

Katara bit her lip and looked to the side to try to hide her annoyance.

 _'This is ridiculous,'_ she thought and was tempted to demand an answer to the secret they were keeping from everyone around there. The only thing that kept her mouth shut at that moment was her comrade's blue eyes briefly warning her not to ruin it all.

"Probably the weather," she deadpanned.

Zuko's brow raised in suspicion briefly. "Whatever the reason, you are welcome to join me when they arrive at the palace. They'll be greeted the same way you were."

"Thank you, it would be an honor."

Zuko stood there for a moment looking right at Katara as though he wanted to say something further. She waited, but he closed his mouth and straightened up instead.

"Excuse me," he said as he turned to leave.

"Wait," she said. He stopped and looked back. "Do you know where Sokka is? He said he'd be with you all morning. I need to talk to him."

What she needed was him to listen to another one of her rants about this situation, and ask for the hundredth time why Zuko wasn't supposed to know.

"He's at the outdoor training course at the other side of the palace."

"Where is that, exactly?"

Someone behind Zuko stepped up. "I would be happy to escort her, my lord."

Zuko was about to accept the offer and be on his way but hesitated.

He considered her for a moment and stared into her waiting eyes. Oddly enough, like a few nights ago, he felt the need to look away. The course was the next place he was headed to, and he could simply take her there himself. However, deciding whether or not to take her there was not why he hesitated.

He realized it was because he didn't want to be alone with her.

Zuko was by no means afraid of Katara or intimidated by her in any way, but the thought of being alone with her was suddenly unsettling. He hadn't seen her at all the past few days and the last time he did was the night she accused him of being unhappy. After thinking a lot about it since then, he agreed with her to some degree. Though, that wasn't why he was uneasy. Those eyes looked right into his soul and saw something that even he couldn't. He didn't necessarily feel exposed, but he was suddenly nervous she was going to see something else in him, call him out, and make him uncomfortable all over again.

He shook off the thought and berated his ridiculous reaction.

Friend or not, there were some things he'd rather keep to himself. Of course, he wasn't going to _not_ take her, but he'd have to be on his guard. He'd even tell her to butt-out if need be.

"That won't be necessary. Follow me," he gestured to her, then dismissed those behind him.

Zuko turned and walked down the hall. Katara said goodbye to the man next to her, then quickly caught up. He kept his eyes forward, but he could feel her staring at him. They kept quiet for a while with nothing but the sound of their footsteps filling the air. It got to a point of being almost as bad as dinner. She'd stare at him, look away and sigh, then go right back to pinning those blue eyes on him.

About halfway there, Zuko was sick of the tension.

"You're acting strange," he muttered.

"Hm?"

"Never mind," he said, then sighed. "I have to admit, I don't understand how you can be so calm about the situation; to be okay with being put down like that."

It took her a second to catch onto what he was talking about.

"I never said I was okay with it," she answered, "That woman's situation makes me understand her reaction. Besides, arguing about it wouldn't have made a difference, and thinking about it more now won't change anything."

"What I meant is that you should at least expect an apology."

"I feel like it would be wrong to ask for one."

"She insults you for something you didn't do, kicks you out of her restaurant, and you feel sorry for asking for an apology?"

"That wasn't the first time I've been in one of those situations." She shrugged her shoulders. "It was the first time I was on the receiving end since the war ended, though."

"You mean you've dealt it to others?"

"No, of course not. I've gotten involved and stopped people from doing it to each other."

Always the hero, just like when they were younger. Zuko looked to the side for a moment. "Brushing it off isn't always the best solution. For some, that's permission for them to walk all over you."

"You don't have to lecture me about it," she snapped. Zuko slowed in surprise. She continued with a calmer tone, "but I understand what you mean. I've already made up my mind to just let it go, and I'm okay with that."

Sensing the topic was now off limits, Zuko stayed quiet. To be honest, he wasn't used to people talking back to him these days. He had to stop himself from getting upset about it. Since he became Fire Lord, most people went out of their way to be obedient to him. To have someone bite back at him, even a little bit, was different. He didn't realize how easy he had it in that aspect until now.

"Would you have done it? Taken away her restaurant, I mean."

He closed his eyes and frowned. "Yes."

"That's cruel punishment."

"You don't know who that woman is. This would have been the last straw in a long line of trouble she's caused lately." He was quiet for a moment then shook his head and sealed the discussion, knowing Katara was bound to ask for more details. "But it doesn't matter. Like I said earlier, all she'll get is a warning."

"What has she-"

"I don't really want to talk about it."

She stayed quiet, but he could see a slight pout on her face from the corner of his eye.

They passed some men in the hall who bowed to Zuko, and didn't even acknowledge Katara. Some of them tried to follow him asking questions. He kept a still face through it all and dismissed them. After that, Zuko led Katara on a longer path, but one no one would find him and harass him on.

Katara drifted back a few steps behind him unintentionally. When she realized she'd fallen back, she was about to catch up with him again but was momentarily distracted by his outfit. She wondered how he was able to keep a pace like that without sweating. The decorative armor and robes were huge and looked very heavy. Someone would have to be strong if they were going to haul it around all day long. She brought her hand up to her chin and eyed the golden metal on his shoulders.

When his amber eyes peered over his shoulder at her, she quickly looked away.

"Why is Sokka at the training range?" she asked.

"It was a request. He's sparring with some members of my guard."

"I see." Knowing her brother, he was probably loving every minute of it. These days, they didn't do much fighting and any chance he had to spar with someone, he usually took it. As she thought about it, words from earlier in the day came to mind about a certain rumor. "I heard a rumor that your guard were criminals."

"It is a rumor, but there is some truth to it."

"What do you mean?"

"Shen, my captain, was years ago."

"How can you trust him to be your personal security?"

"He saved my life." Zuko's face was thoughtful for a moment. "He was wanted for various crimes and was eventually captured. His sentence was death, but while he was being held in prison, he foiled an attempt to assassinate me. Do you remember how my food was checked before it was brought out at dinner?"

Katara swallowed, uneasy with the idea of someone trying to kill Zuko. "Yes."

"My dish that night was going to be poisoned and he found out about it. Basically, he told someone and saved me."

"So you made him your personal guard because of it?"

"Well, I guess that explanation was a little too simple. It was a bit more complicated than that. For one, he was going to be put to death for his crimes with my seal on the order to do it. Despite that, he chose to save my life. He's incredible with a blade and thinks like a criminal or an assassin would. It's because of that I asked him to be my bodyguard."

"Do you trust him?"

"I do."

If that man wasn't there or chose not to say anything, Zuko may not be standing in front of her like he was. Once again, her chest tightened at the idea of assassination and how hard it must have been for Zuko.

"And the others? Do they have similar backgrounds?"

"No, many of them were soldiers. Others just wanderers looking for a purpose. At first, it was just Shen, but after time a few more joined until it expanded to about 30 people."

"Did that stop the attempts?"

Zuko looked down at her. "Recently, yes. But at first, no."

Katara stopped. Zuko halted and turned back. "How close did they come?" she asked.

He looked away and contemplated the answer. The last five years were not easy on him. He once thought he was more than capable of handling himself in any fight. Everyone knew he was a deadly fighter, but fighting against enemies in the shadows was something he was not equipped to handle. It was his desperation that drove him to ask a criminal for help in the first place; someone he didn't even fully trust for the longest time.

He paid the price for his lack of knowledge more than once, and it very much brought him close to death on a few occasions.

After some debate, he slowly pulled at his collar to reveal a portion of his neck. Katara's eyes moved to the exposed skin. When he saw the look in them, he regretted the action and wished he just explained it instead. She gasped.

Without averting her eyes, she slowly walked up to him. When she was standing right next to him she lifted her hand. Zuko had to stop the instinct that told him to back up and swat it away. Before he realized what she was doing, her fingers lightly brushed against the scar on his neck. A dark, red gift from an assassin.

Zuko was really uncomfortable. No one but a healer touched that scar. She didn't even ask for permission, not that it would have mattered. He'd have said no in a heartbeat. He didn't often welcome anyone's touch, and his scars were always off limits. Her boldness to do it bothered him. She seemed completely oblivious to the way he stiffened at her touch and only focused on the red line on his neck.

He reached up to grab her wrist to make her stop, but his hand froze. Her warm fingers brushed across the length of the scar, and he forgot his discomfort as a memory filled his mind. It was Katara and him in this same position under Ba Sing Se. It felt like a lifetime ago but he remembered the same look of concern then as it was now. She had her hand on his face touching a different scar back then.

To this day, he still wondered why he let her do that in the first place. He was in a vulnerable spot when she did it, but they were enemies at the time. Maybe it was the fact that she, someone that claimed to hate him, offered precious water that could possibly rid him of the scar on his face that had disarmed him that moment. It was oddly comforting when she did it, despite who each of them was to each other. He wouldn't say it was the same now, but he wasn't going to push her away.

Katara's capacity to care for someone was something he rarely saw in his life. The look she had held more worry than anyone else who touched his scar.

Katara definitely noticed the way he went rigid when she touched him, but she didn't care. It was such a shock to see the new scar that she needed to touch it to really believe it. In all her years of healing, she never saw a scar quite like this. Not many survivors walked away from that type of injury. It was obvious a knife did this. A slash across his throat and it barely missed a major vein.

Her heart sunk. She tried not to imagine the act of it; to imagine the brutal hand that did it. Her earlier thought of being grateful that Zuko was standing in front of her, well, it was even more so now.

"Who did this?" she nearly whispered.

"Uh–" he hesitated. He calmed slightly under her touch but was now even more uncomfortable than before. He didn't want to tell her. Mostly because the answer was a little embarrassing. Well, embarrassing to tell a woman.

It was a mistress that did it to him. "Someone I thought I could trust."

 _'For a night, at least.'_

Because of that, it was a lot harder to enjoy his time with them. Nights of passion were difficult to get swept up in when he was constantly wondering if a knife was going to go for his throat again.

"I'm glad things are better. It must have been terrifying." She finally pulled her hand away. "Why didn't you tell anyone?"

"I didn't see how it would benefit me. I tell people that need to know, but I like to keep it quiet otherwise. I could boast that I survived an assassination attempt, but I think keeping quiet has the same effect. On the people that tried, I mean."

"I guess that makes sense."

She noticed once again that he gave her a general answer and avoided telling her how he felt about it. His face matched the tone he just gave, but his eyes – they looked sad. He claimed things were fine lately, but they weren't. She couldn't quite put her finger on why, but his eyes were giving a different story from his words.

Though, Katara wasn't sure if what she was seeing was real or just her worries projected onto him.

Zuko didn't answer back right away. In the prolonged silence, Katara suddenly realized that neither of them backed away from the other. They were standing close together, enough so that she could smell a fragrance coming from him. Some sort of spice and something else. She didn't let herself take even a second to try to figure out what the mystery scent was and backed up, clearing her throat lightly as she did.

Zuko blinked and looked away awkwardly. "Come on, we're almost there."

Katara followed him in silence. She watched his back as they walked, and couldn't help but feel pity for him. He once seemed so strong and capable. She knew he still was, but she was now seeing the vulnerability in him. Seeing a wound like that, hearing a story like that, and knowing there were more like it made it almost impossible not to feel sad for him.

Zuko eventually slowed in front of some doors and two servants quickly opened them. When they stepped through, the evening light landed on them. Her eyes flickered around the large training course; everywhere from the wide variety of gear off to the side to the men sparring.

As they caught sight of Zuko, they stopped immediately and bowed to him. He lifted his hand in response to dismiss the gesture and some of them continued on. Others approached the two. She scanned each of the faces she saw, now knowing the role each of them played in keeping Zuko safe. They all looked very capable. After sizing them up, she felt slightly more at ease. She recognized one of the faces and he waved at her once he saw her.

"Zuko! There you are. I didn't think you were going to show up," said Sokka as he and a few others stopped in front of them. He turned to his sister. "Hey, Katara."

"Hey."

"You here to train with us?"

"Wasn't planning on it."

"Well, you're missing out. These guys make excellent sparring partners."

"You're not half bad yourself, Sokka," said one of the men, "Thanks for taking up our offer."

"Of course," he said with a puffed out chest.

"We practice here four times a week, same time. You should join us when you can."

Sokka nodded back with a smile. Katara could almost feel the excitement coming from him with the offer. Zuko gestured his arm towards her, then introduced her to the others in the group.

"I'm a little late. Are you guys wrapping things up?" asked Zuko.

"Not at all. There's plenty of time." The man turned his eyes to Katara. "And will this lovely lady be joining us? I hear you're quite the skilled waterbender."

Zuko sighed. "Katara, this is Shen, my captain. The man I was telling you about earlier."

He winked at her. The move irked Zuko. It was one thing to flirt with women in general, but he'd have to warn him to back off when it came to diplomats. Dealing with them was his territory alone. She smiled and barely noticeably blushed.

"Pleasure to meet you. So, will you be sparring with us tonight? It's not very often we get to test our skills against a waterbender."

"No," Zuko cut in, "I don't think Katara-"

"I'd love to," she interrupted and looked eagerly between the groups of fighting men.

Zuko brushed off the fact that she interrupted him and momentarily thought of asking her to reconsider. The royal guard was a force to be reckoned with, and they didn't often play nice at practice. However, he suddenly remembered just who she was; one of the world's most skilled water benders. She was quite the opponent back when they were teenagers, and she was probably twice as good now. How could he forget?

Oddly enough, she turned to him and waited as if asking for his approval. He shrugged and she smiled in response. His eyes followed her as she was lead further into the course. She was just as tough as they were. In fact, she would probably be more than a match for most of them.

* * *

Katara stood ready, cautiously staring down her opponent. She was in a defensive stance with a large pool of water hovering a few feet above her shoulders which cast a light shadow over her very determined face. She seemed to be oblivious to some of the men gawking at her as she focused on the man in front of her.

She changed into lighter clothing more fit for sparing. Her arms and much of her legs were bare, showing bronze skin and defined muscle. The thinner clothing was tighter than what she was wearing before, revealing just how much of a woman she really was. At first, Zuko didn't realize that he was also one of the ones staring until he remembered that it was Katara he was admiring.

He scolded himself for the action and blamed it on him being tired and not fully aware of what he was doing.

The entire atmosphere was different than normal. They had Katara to thank for that. On rare occasion, they had spectators watch them train and the men always seemed to try a little harder and be a little flashier when it was women watching them. Typically, when women sparred with them, it was even more so.

Shen, her current opponent, seemed to be among the few who weren't cocky about the situation. He understood Katara wasn't just a typical sparring partner; he kept his distance most of the time.

Zuko could tell that, up until now, he was just toying with her and testing her ability. Considering that he was a nonbender, it was a little more difficult to do so. However, it got serious with a sharp change in his stature.

Katara narrowed her eyes when he pulled out a wooden blade and ran at her. She reacted quickly and threw a sheet of water at him which turned to ice once it hit his arm. He didn't move it completely out of the way but twisted his body to avoid the bulk of the water attack while still moving forward. Before she realized it, he was right next to her.

He ran past her while bumping her in the back. She stumbled forward and lost her hold on the rest of the water, which fell to the ground.

She was a little out of breath when she turned around to look at him in surprise. She didn't have much water to work with, but it was usually enough to hold her own while sparring. Knowing that he was a nonbender, she felt the need to go easy on him but was now regretting it. He was quicker than she expected.

Shen straightened up. "You look surprised."

Maybe he didn't mean it, but something about his tone didn't sit well with her. It sounded a little...condescending. She straightened up and looked away, her pride a little hurt that she was beaten so quickly, especially by someone who couldn't bend. It only made it worse that there was a small crowd watching them. Was she really that out of practice?

"A little," she said begrudgingly.

"A weakness with benders is close combat. Once someone gets close enough, it's hard to get them away by just bending." He held up his frozen arm. "I used this as a distraction to get close to you."

She eyed him suspiciously. "How did you know I'd freeze it?"

"I picked up a pattern to your fighting while we were sparring. You like to use ice on weapons."

"We've only been sparring for three minutes."

"I gambled a little bit."

There was truth to his deduction. She reached out to melt the ice and it splashed to the ground. She chalked his win up to luck. Going easy on this guy was the last thing she was going to do now.

Despite pressure from the crowd watching her, she was ready for a rematch and was surprised when he left the small ring they were on, obviously done with the fight. He walked up to Zuko and put a hand on his shoulder and spoke to him in a low voice. His eyes narrowed and he seemed to snap back at the other man. She found the sudden anger on his face a little odd for what seemed to be just a small whisper. Katara walked to the edge of the ring thinking that the round was over.

Zuko uncrossed his arms and walked hurriedly towards her. He spoke as he passed. "Done already?"

Katara turned to him surprised. Zuko changed into lighter clothes as well, but so far only watched everything going on. Lately, he hadn't participated much in these evening practices. He'd been taking it easy, more or less against his will ever since that...incident. The day his men watched him fall, hardly able to get up without help was the day he was put on slight suspension from training. No one would spar with him much and Shen convinced him getting too worked up would be counterproductive to whatever was going on with him.

It was a while since then though, and being asked if he was 'feeling up to it' was enough to trigger his rebellious side. He was itching all night to do something other than watch for a change. He'd be fine in a little duel with Katara.

Katara was still hesitant and Zuko had to coax her again back onto the ring. She slowly followed his wishes still a little unsure. Try as she might, she couldn't help but see him as more fragile than he used to be. Not only was he supposed to be sick and vulnerable as people told her he was, but seeing that horrible scar earlier only fueled her hesitation. He more than deserved to be looked at as a formidable opponent, but right now she could not see it.

As she debated coming up with an excuse to leave, Zuko faced her and readied himself. He seemed to recognize her hesitation. "What's the matter? Afraid to fight a firebender, Katara?"

She could tell by his light smirk that he was just saying that to egg her on. It did what he hoped it would and Katara got back into stance. "Not at all," she said.

Zuko moved first and threw a flame at her that she put down easily. She shot water at him, and he dodged it the same. They went back and forth like that for a bit, drawing the stares of everyone on the training course; all of them interested to see their Fire Lord dueling a waterbender.

The more Katara watched Zuko move, the better she felt. The longer it went on, the more he seemed to be...enjoying himself. It put some of her hesitation at ease, and her concentration found her once again. He mirrored her determination and picked up his pace. After a few flashy moved from both of them, Katara tried to surprise him and knock him over.

She moved her stream of water into the air and plunged it down right on top of him.

To her surprise, his stance rapidly changed to one that looked like Toph would use, not a firebender like himself. When the water hit him, she expected it to freeze, but as he moved his arms, a loud swoosh came from him and before she knew it, she was surrounded by thick, warm steam.

She was shocked by the rapid change and couldn't see anything but white cloud. Pulling herself together, she quickly reached out for the water in the air; control having been momentarily knocked from her by the rapid change. However, the moment she got control, the cloud faded. Zuko was no longer in front of her.

An arm wrapped around her from behind, securing her wrists against her chest. With her hands no longer in control, what little water she was able to grab fell to the ground. Something warm pressed against her upper back and the side of a hand against her throat. It all happened so fast that it took her a moment to realize just what went on.

Whatever he did to create that steam – something she had never even seen before – blinded her long enough to be beaten. Right now, if she wanted to, she could get out of this hold. However, it was already over. The hand against her neck determined her the loser, but that wasn't the only reason she didn't try to break free.

Zuko had her pinned against his chest, so close that she could faintly feel his heartbeat. His slightly labored breathing brushed against the back of her neck. She was already doused in vapor from the steam and the sensation from his hot breath hitting the cool water almost made her shiver. He held her for a moment longer, probably to solidify that he was the winner.

When he did let her go, she turned and faced him. The shiver she avoided suddenly came and she fidgeted to try and hide it.

She swallowed.

Zuko didn't seem to notice and instead was beaming. "What do you think of my new technique?"

"It's...different," she answered. "Where did you learn that?"

He smiled. "It's something I came up with myself. It works a lot better with swords, though."

His sudden changed in demeanor was a night and day difference from what she saw lately. Right now, he actually looked...happy. Like he was finally having some fun. It only took a second to rub off on Katara and she smiled in return. Her earlier worry was forgotten. "I'm impressed, but I bet that won't work again."

"We'll see, and that's not the only trick I've learned." He readied himself in another fighting stance. "I'm impressed with you too. You've gotten a lot better than I remember. Maybe you'll actually beat me this next round."

It was a little odd how seeing him so upbeat was making her so excited; definitely a nice trade in from the now-usual. If sparring put him in this good of a mood, she'd be happy to indulge in this more often.

"Careful what you wish for," she jabbed as she picked up the water from the ground.

With a smirk on her face, Katara struck first. Her thoughts about holding back seemed so silly now. Zuko was _not_ vulnerable. He may have more scars than she wanted to see, but it didn't completely change who he was. He may qualify for her worry, but he didn't need her pity.

He dodged her strike and sent one of his own. She twisted a barrier of water around her to counter it and sent a very fast, large ball of water at him. Maybe, if Zuko was okay with it, she could come out here along with Sokka and train here for the rest of their stay. The thought excited her. Then, she'd get the chance to really show Zuko what she'd learned over the past few years.

She watched the bolt of water head straight for him and fully expected him to dodge it at any moment, but Zuko wasn't moving. She looked more closely and he wasn't even in a sparring position. Instead, he was slightly hunched over with his arms hanging loosely in front of him. His eyes were wide as he stared into the ground, not at the oncoming blow.

That was the last thing she saw of him before the water slammed into him and threw him backward about fifteen feet. His back hit the ground hard, and his head whipped back intensely enough that it loosened the crown he was wearing and it went flying, bouncing off the concrete as it did.

Katara froze, shocked at what she just saw. She threw that intense of a blow at him _knowing_ he was going to dodge it. That's why she did it in the first place. Zuko's hand skimmed across his chest briefly before he brought it down to his side in a fist. When he did not get up immediately, she ran to him.

"Zuko!"

Before she was halfway there, two other men were already hovering over him. Zuko slowly sat up with Shen's help. She kneeled next to him and put her hand on his shoulder. He was soaked and his now loose hair was covering the side of his face.

"I'm sorry, Zuko. Are you alright? I didn't mean-"

"It's fine," he interrupted with a very strained voice.

He didn't look at her as he shook off her hand and quickly stood up. As he did, he leaned over slightly and Shen put a hand on him to steady him. Zuko swatted it away and started walking to the edge of the ring. His hair was still covering his face from her sight, but she could tell he was breathing hard. His body was tense and he walked a little unnatural as he headed towards the palace door.

Others followed and Katara ran to catch up to him. He was obviously in pain. A blow like that – it could have broken his ribs! She knew a move like that was dangerous for simple sparring. Though he was supposed to dodge it, regret filled her head to toe. He refused to look at her as they approached the doors and she grew frantic. "Zuko, wait!"

"Don't follow me," said the strained voice again.

She froze for a moment at the words but picked up her pace a moment later. A hand reached out to stop her and she halted.

"Please don't, my lady," said one of Zuko's guard.

"What do you mean 'don't'? I just threw him to the ground! I need to see if he's okay!"

"He'll be okay," he said, though he looked uncertain. "This is nothing you did."

Was he joking, or just plain blind?

Zuko disappeared through the doors and Katara tried again to follow him. The man's arm blocked her again. "Don't."

She glared at him but stood still. He slowly moved his arm and she stared at the spot he disappeared.

What just happened? And why was it suddenly not okay that she speak to him?

Sokka walked up to her and looked at her just as confused as she felt. She crossed her arms and was about to demand a proper explanation, and then follow him anyway, but something caught her eye.

She looked down to the ground and saw Zuko's crown lying in the dirt. She picked it up and turned it in her hands, brushing away the dirt as she did. It was scratched up really bad. The shining gold designs now tainted with fractures and dents. A lump formed in her throat as she moved it between her hands.

 _'Zuko, what is going on?'_


	5. Derelict

A/N: Thank you everyone for your reviews - you guys really keep me going. Appreciate you all! This chapter is a big ice-breaker and though the kiss we all want is not in this one, I have something else you guys may like.

Back when I first wrote this chapter, I hit writer's block. To get over that, I drew one of the scenes here. Since I can't post a link, go to DeviantArt and search 'SaberMay'. That will pull up my profile and the picture that goes with this.

Enjoy the chapter!

Disclaimer: No own, no sue.

* * *

 _Chapter 5_

 **Derelict**

...

"Sokka, I don't understand why you're so eager to go to this," said Katara as she followed her brother through a massive set of doors.

The bright sunshine disappeared and her eyes adjusted to the white-yellow lighting of the large room. She was completely distracted as she gazed up at the high ceiling of the courthouse, a little in awe of how tall it was. The conversations in the air drifted up the walls, slightly echoing before they disappeared into their art-adorned reaches.

The spacious foyer they just stepped into could rival the Fire Palace with its interior design. Her pace slowed, and before she knew it, she found herself studying the intricate designs of the pillar closest to them. Sokka was taken by the sight as well for a moment before resuming his pace.

"I already told you. I'm curious to see the justice system in action here," he answered, pulling her thoughts back to the conversation.

"But don't you already know most of it? I've seen you reading books about it before."

"It's one thing to read about it and another to experience it." His face grew a little more serious. "Besides, this could be a good learning opportunity."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, with how big the Southern Water Tribe is getting, and how crowded the cities have become, I think we need to take a look at our own justice system and make some changes."

Katara knew exactly what he was talking about. In the past, when all the people they had barely qualified as a village, criminals were dealt with in a more traditional way. They were usually marked as a criminal and then banished. They didn't have the man power or the resources to build a prison and guard it. Though, now that they had an actual city full of people, banishing criminals was no longer effective like it used to be.

"I think you'd be offending a lot of people if they knew you were looking to Fire Nation law for this."

"I know. That's why I only asked you to come." He smiled.

She smiled back at him, and couldn't help but admire her brother for his constant desire to improve things back home.

Katara continued to follow him down a hall, walking alongside people that seemed to be headed the same place they were.

"Zuko is here."

At the sound of his name, Katara's face fell, and the events of the previous night filled her thoughts. Though she was not 'allowed' to see him last night, she managed to run into Zuko earlier that morning, and, to her surprise, was rather rudely dismissed by him. The first thing on her mind was to tell him sorry and then to ask about his odd behavior, but she didn't even get that far before he practically ran from her.

That blow she hit him with when they were sparring – it obviously hurt him. The way he acted after it as he walked away from them was a clear sign that he wasn't okay. Based on his instant rejection of her apology and his coldness during it all, Katara was convinced he was angry with her.

When they walked into the court room, they stood in the upper tier section with an open view of the room below. Sokka found them some seats in the front of the balcony and they sat down, then waited for the rest of the room to fill up.

Katara sighed angrily. It was obvious, with his tone of voice, that her being near him was some sort of nuisance. He immediately tried to get her to leave practically the moment she stepped in the room to see him. She may have hurt him, but surely she didn't deserve to be treated like that, especially since she was trying to sincerely apologize.

Frustrated with his bad attitude, Katara handed him his tattered crown she picked up the night before and left.

"Are you mad at me?" Sokka asked.

"No, why would you ask that?" She cocked her eyebrow.

"I'm just trying to figure out why your scowling."

She told him not to worry and looked away to hide her face. Zuko's treatment towards her was a little hurtful, but it didn't take long for it to turn into anger. She wanted nothing to do with him if he was going to be like that.

Once the courtroom was filled, people below dressed in formal clothes asked for the public's silence. Everyone stilled and their eyes turned to the action below. Katara wasn't as into it as her brother or other people around her. She was only there because he asked her to go. As the meeting got started, her eyes finally found Zuko.

He sat in a lower balcony all by himself. Everything around him made it clear that where he sat was the center point of this room. His typical, formal royal attire stood out. His black hair was pulled back and secured by a crown. It had to be a fake, since the real heirloom was badly battered. Katara leaned forward on the railing and rested her chin in her palm as she watched him. Other than being offended by their conversation earlier in the morning, there was one other thing that bothered her.

Why did he miss that strike in the first place?

He couldn't have lost his concentration that easily. Asking him again probably wouldn't yield any results since she was now obviously on his bad side. He'd probably send her away again the moment she tried to speak to him...

No matter, though. She didn't really want to be around him either at this point. She let out another frustrated sigh and moved her attention from Zuko to Sokka to try and distract herself. "I thought this was a public court. Why is Zuko here?"

Someone shushed her from behind. Sokka leaned in and whispered back, "It is, but Zuko has the final say. I guess when the crime is bad enough, he participates. Though, if you ask me, he's just here for show. They've already had the trial. This is just a public announcement of his crimes and punishment and such."

"Oh."

Hopelessly bored, she tried to pay attention to the commotion below and actively avoided looking at the man that currently had her peeved. There was a young man dressed in white clothes. He was standing between two guards with his arms bound behind his back. She couldn't see his face from where she was, but his head was hung. "What was his crime?"

"He killed six people."

Her eyes turned back to the young man and she wondered if she could even call him that. He looked more like a boy. He was a serial killer, but he didn't look like it. Though she understood looks were deceiving, she imagined someone like that to look far more fierce and, well, evil-looking. She did not expect a boy.

As the session went on, she saw a woman below off to the side crying and Katara got the feeling it was the boy's mother. Once they listed his crimes and the evidence linking him to them, the main judge stood up ready to tell the verdict.

By that time, Katara became engrossed in what was going on. Her eyes broke the scene below and looked straight at Zuko. His face was flat and completely emotionless, and he could even be mistaken as bored. The judge finally announced that the boy was found guilty. By order of the public, and with the Fire Lord's seal, he was scheduled for public execution later that day.

Katara wasn't ignorant, and she knew that was probably what he was going to say. However, a lump still formed in her throat. The southern tribe executed very dangerous criminals once in a blue moon, but they were never public, and it was only because they didn't have a place to keep them locked up for the rest of their lives. It was different here, though. Public executions were…barbaric.

A woman's scream filled the air. It was the boy's mother. Her son finally lifted his head and turned towards her and Katara saw the crying eyes and terrified face he was hiding. The woman broke free of the people she was standing behind, desperately trying to get to her son. Her cries filled the entire room as she was stopped and hauled back.

They took the woman out of the room, not letting her touch her son one last time.

Katara's eyes were wide and her jaw dropped as she watched the heartbreaking scene below her. She turned to Sokka to get some validation for what she was feeling, but he stared ahead with an unchanged face. Other people in the room looked just like he did. Did no one here see something wrong with what just happened?

Her eyes moved back to Zuko. His face hadn't changed at all during that either; still frowning and still looking bored. The courtroom was dismissed and people started to get up. Zuko turned on his heel and left the balcony without a second glance at the crying boy below.

* * *

Zuko stared at the empty plate in front of him, silently wishing that dinner would come to an end. It was a long, busy day and it needed to be finished. If he wasn't surrounded by guests, he'd be leaning on the table with his head on his fists. The northern diplomats finally arrived and it was the same as it always was; long, extensive greeting, some planning, and then dinner.

Out of all the political visitors he ever hosted, the Northern Water Tribe was by far his least favorite. Nevermind that they were hard to deal with when it came to policy and trade, he didn't feel comfortable around them at all. They were always too professional, and none of them ever seemed to be interested in small talk.

His eyes scanned the people in the room as they spoke to one another until they rested on Katara. Ever since this morning, she didn't seem to be very happy with him. Of course, he did maybe treat her like a child when she came demanding answers from him earlier in the day. He accepted her unnecessary apology and got away from her as soon as he could.

It was ridiculous, really. When he saw her that morning, it was nervousness that drove him to act the way he did. He didn't understand why he felt the need to be so on guard around that woman. Sure, she nitpicked at him more than he was comfortable with, but it baffled him how evasive he was being. Immature, like a child that was trying not to get in trouble.

Katara was obviously mad. He deduced that between her glares, cold shoulders, and snappy answers to his questions.

He had every right to want her out of his business. Yet, as much as it annoyed him, he guessed he would probably have to apologize to her to get her stop being so cold toward him. He had enough cranky politicians to deal with here, and he didn't want her to be a part of the mix.

Her conversation with the man next to her ended and her blue eyes turned to meet his. She quickly looked away and sat further back in her seat so he couldn't see her. Zuko sighed at the reaction.

When the dinner finally ended, they exchanged farewells, and most were lead back to their rooms. The dining area was nearly empty and Katara, Sokka, and some others were the last ones there. Ignoring his inquiring advisors next to him, he followed her out into the hall.

"Katara."

She turned around at the sound of her name. When she saw it was him walking up to her, her face went hard. Zuko suddenly had to control his temper he thought he mostly outgrew. Was that look from her really necessary?

"Do you need something?"

He frowned. "I think your upset with me. I want to know why."

She sighed and looked at the wall. After a moment of silence, she muttered, "Just forget about it. I'll see you tomorrow."

That answer was not good enough. As she turned to leave, Zuko reached out and grabbed her upper arm hard enough to halt her.

"Katara, wait."

Her whole body tensed up and she looked to his hand that was pinning her to the spot, practically glaring daggers at it. He got the message and let go.

"Why are you acting like this?" he asked sharply. He felt a little dumb for saying that since he already knew what was wrong. "If you think I'm angry with you about what happened yesterday-"

"'Think'? I know you are. Why else would you have been so rude to me this morning?" she said with her voice raised.

 _'That didn't take long for her to snap,'_ Zuko thought, offhandedly.

A few people in the hall turned their attention to the two at Katara's raised voice. After glancing around, Zuko spotted an empty room. He ushered her in, and she followed reluctantly. He turned to her once they were alone. "I owe you an apology for that."

She crossed her arms, waiting.

Zuko sighed and looked away. "I'm not angry about sparring. I meant what I said when I told you that earlier today." He hesitated, but continued when the look on Katara's face told him that wasn't good enough. "I'm sorry for being so short with you this morning. You were just trying to help and you didn't deserve to be treated like that."

He didn't offer apologies like that very often, especially these days. It sounded as awkward and uncomfortable as it felt.

Katara closed her eyes and sternly asked, "Are you sure you're alright?"

"I am."

She unfolded her arms. "I accept your apology."

Zuko let out a breath he didn't realize he was holding. He watched her and waited for her to offer him one of those warm smiles she always had, but it never came. She was still scowling and avoiding his eyes once again. She was obviously still upset, and he wondered if the words she just said were genuine.

"Goodnight," she spat as she headed towards the archway.

Zuko moved quick and blocked her. "Are you still angry with me?"

"Please move, Zuko. I want to leave."

"No. Not until you tell me why you're still giving me that look."

Katara debated hard whether or not she wanted to tell him. Some of her anger dissipated with his apology, but that was only a small portion. She was far more upset about something else.

She wasn't planning on telling him about it and that's why she kept her distance from Zuko all day long. She was angry, and not in a reasonable state of mind to talk about her frustrations. However, now that he was right in front of her and rudely demanding her to speak, she was all too eager to indulge him.

"Why did his sentence have to be death? That boy, why did he have to die?"

Zuko looked like he didn't know what she was talking about, but when recognition filled his eyes, he narrowed them.

"You were at the courthouse today?"

"Both Sokka and I went. We saw the whole thing."

Zuko was silent for a moment too long and Katara grew impatient.

"He was a serial killer," he said simply.

"But public execution? Those sort of horrors were supposed to be done with the war, why did you allow it to happen?"

"Allow it to happen? Katara, that's the sentence for those kinds of murderers. Did you want me to just slap him on the wrist, tell him not to do it again and let him back onto the street?"

"No, that's not the point."

"Then what is your point?!"

"Others have been let off for worse crimes than his. They've _lived_."

That jab seemed to stick Zuko right through the heart.

"That's entirely different and you know it," he hissed, knowing that she was referring to the hundreds of people that committed war crimes. The same ones he granted amnesty to that were now enjoying a peaceful life. "What that boy did had nothing to do with war."

"It's still murder."

"I can't believe you have the gall to say that. You're such a hypocrite." Katara was about to demand what he meant by that, but Zuko continued before she could utter a single word. "Things work different here than the south pole. I may be the Fire Lord, but I can't just change laws that easily. Do you think I enjoy having to do things like that? To watch things like that?"

She folded her arms and looked away. "Could have fooled me, and why are you calling me a-"

"What's that supposed to mean?" he interrupted with a dangerous look crossing his eye.

"You didn't look concerned at all with what was going on there – with that barbaric sentence he had. You did nothing. You didn't even blink!"

Katara's anger was slightly forgotten as she looked back at him, nostrils flaring and fists white-knuckled. It was one thing to look angry, but he looked dangerous and Katara was suddenly nervous. She had never seen a look like that in his eyes; one that dark and cold.

"You have _no_ idea what was going through my mind," he said venomously.

He rapidly turned around and headed toward the hall, but stopped in the archway. He clenched his fists again and, after a tense moment, quickly turned around and walked right back up to her. She was too startled by the look on his face that she didn't back up when he got close to her. Too close.

His face was only inches away from hers, livid.

"There is a reason I left as soon as I could. Don't assume that I'm some sort of monster who enjoys watching those things, or having to decide on those sentences. I don't, Katara." He finally backed away from her and she let out a breath. Without another glance at her, he turned and stormed out of the room.

For a moment, she blinked at the spot he disappeared before her look quickly turned to a glare, her mind in turmoil. She didn't waste a second lingering there, and quickly headed toward her room.

* * *

Sokka reached out and knocked on Katara's door, then cracked it open. "Hey, are you decent?"

"You can come in."

Her voice sounded dejected which confirmed his earlier suspicions of what Katara was doing hiding out in her room the past couple of hours. He walked in to find her head nearly buried in her arms at the large vanity. He walked up to her and set some books down.

"I found these for you. I figured you could read them during the day when you're bored."

She didn't look at him. "Thanks, Sokka."

Sokka looked around the room as he contemplated how to start a conversation she didn't want to have. He feigned interest as he looked at each book. " _Love Amongst The Dragons_ , _The Lover and The Liar_ , _Song of The White Flame_ , some other title I don't know how to pronounce. They're stories about spirits, I think."

She finally eyed them. "What kind of stories?"

"Romance. The stuff you drool over."

"I do not," she said with narrowed eyes, but turned to the books looking fives times more interested than before. "Thank you."

"You're welcome." When she didn't say anything further, he finally cut to the point. "Is something wrong? You've been sulking in your room since dinner ended."

She didn't answer and started absentmindedly spinning a small comb. With a softer tone, he continued, "Is this about the court session earlier today?"

"Yeah."

"Sorry I brought you. I see now I probably shouldn't have."

"No, I needed to see it. I just don't know what to think of it."

"I had a hard time with it too, at first." She stopped spinning the comb and looked at him.

"What did you decide on?"

"You probably won't like my answer."

"Tell me."

He sighed. "It's their way of life here."

"That's it?"

"Yeah," he said while looking away. "They've ended the death penalty for war criminals and anything related to that, but not domestic issues like this. I don't agree with it, but in that situation, I didn't feel like I should be the one judging. If you put yourself in the people's shoes, it's not exactly cruel punishment to them. In fact, it's what they wanted."

Katara was silent as she tapped her finger on the desk. "I guess you're right."

Sokka glanced at the door. "I've gotta be somewhere in a few minutes, but if you want to talk more later tonight, you know where to find me."

She smiled up at him lightly. "Thanks."

He headed toward the door. "Wanna come with me?"

"Not tonight. I'll see you later. Thanks, though."

He looked at her a little unsure before he left, but waved goodbye and took his leave.

Once her brother was gone, she turned back to the small comb and started spinning it again. The sun was fading and the room grew darker. There was only one candle going and that was all the light she had.

She felt a little empty as she replayed his words over again in her head.

 _'Sokka is right.'_

She was still not okay with the death sentence, but her fire about the whole situation faded as the hours passed. She was also beginning to feel a little bad for snapping the way she did. She didn't outright accuse Zuko of being a monster, but she may as well have.

Zuko was right, too...

She really didn't have any idea what he was feeling. His face may have been stone cold, but how could she possibly know? And on top of that, this nation had a different way of life. One she absolutely disapproved of, and one she felt needed to be changed immediately, but yelling at Zuko like that was not going to solve anything. She'd grown so used to being a part of decisions like that back at home that she expected to be met with the same kind of consideration here.

It was foolish now that she thought about it, and after a while of running that argument through her head, she realized she owed him an apology.

Zuko, the Fire Lord, was still the most powerful man in the world – that responsibility had to be a weight to carry. She could already see what it's done to him; with tired eyes and the formal shell he hid behind.

 _'I basically told him he failed tonight.'_

Hearing that from a friend (if they still even were) had to be a blow. One that she really, really regretted. Zuko had done nothing but improve things. In reality, the Southern Water Tribe had him to thank for its prosperity, the whole world did. He didn't deserve those harsh judgements she threw at him.

An apology was needed, that was for sure, but she was probably the last person he wanted to see right now.

The comb she was toying with spun off the side of the desk and hit the ground. She buried her head further in her arms, a heavy heart weighing her down.

Katara sulked for a while longer, not noticing the sun had completely disappeared. The room was so quiet that when she heard a knock on the door she jumped. She slowly got out of the seat she was on and headed to the door, expecting to find her brother on the other side.

She answered it and found Zuko standing in front of her.

Katara froze on the spot, taken completely off guard. Zuko had his hair down lightly covering his scar and was dressed in dark gray and black except for his bare arms, which were a stark contrast to his dark outfit. She didn't take a second to contemplate why on earth he was dressed like that and looked up to his face. He didn't look dangerously angry, but there was a light scowl covering his features. It was obvious he was not happy.

There was instantly an apology on her lips, but she found herself only able to say his name in surprise.

He glanced behind him then turned back to her. He asked with a hard tone, "May I come in?"

She stepped aside and he walked in. After she shut the door, she turned to him half expecting him to start yelling at her. She was going to let him, too. The silence was too much to handle when he didn't say anything, and she blurted out, "I want to apologize for what I said earlier-"

"Don't," he interrupted. "You don't need to say it."

"What?" she asked, unsure.

"You were right – _are_ right. But before you judge me, there are some things you need to know."

He walked up to her and handed her some clothes. Noticing it was the same black material as his own, she slowly took them in confusion.

"Put these on."

"What for?"

"I want to show you something."

He walked over to the door of the balcony and looked out. "Do you see that garden behind that building over there?"

She walked up next to him and looked outside. "Yes."

"There's a small store house in the far west corner. Meet me there once you're dressed, and try to not let anyone see you."

He didn't wait for her to answer back and headed straight back to the door. After glancing into the hall, he left quietly.

Katara was left very confused. She hesitated for a moment, wondering what he could possibly want to show her, but after some pointless debate, she slipped into the dark clothing. As she tightened the bands around her wrists, she couldn't help but notice how perfectly the clothes fit her.

Blowing out the candle in her room, she slipped out. It was odd having to stick to the shadows as she dodged people in the halls. She didn't understand why she wasn't supposed to be seen, but she decided to trust Zuko. It was the least she could do.

With some difficulty, she finally made it out to the garden and spotted the building he told her about. She walked up to it and found Zuko leaning against the other side, a thoughtful expression on his face. When he spotted her, his face fell into a shadow of a glare and Katara was a little hurt to see it.

"Did anyone see you?" he asked.

"No." ' _I think_.'

"Good. Follow me."

They walked into the large storehouse and Zuko grabbed a shelf and pushed with all his weight. Katara wondered if he was going crazy until creaks came from rusty-sounding hinges, and the shelf-turned-door opened to a dark tunnel. Cold, stale air blew past her, and Zuko looked at her expectantly. She didn't move.

He sighed, "It's an escape tunnel that leads into the city. It was built in case the palace is ever attacked. Only a small handful of people know about this."

"Why are we going in there?"

"To get to the city. Why else?" he asked annoyed.

With narrowed eyes, she huffed and stepped in. Zuko closed the hidden door and they were immediately surrounded by complete darkness. Katara instinctually reached out to find something to grab onto, but pulled back when Zuko lit a flame in the palm of his hand. He looked at her before walking ahead.

"Stay close to me. It's easy to slip and fall in here."

She complied and walked close to him. "Are you going to tell me where we're going?"

"No."

Her earlier thoughts of feeling guilty were hard to maintain when he was being so childish. Not being able to help herself, she jabbed back, "These clothes fit perfectly. How did you know?"

Curious as she was, she suddenly realized what she asked…and what it implied.

"I- uh-" he faltered, "I guessed."

If Katara had been paying attention, she'd have noticed the light blush that now adorned his face.

That had to be a lie, but she didn't say anything more. She was too embarrassed with the idea of Zuko checking her out to size her up. Then again, maybe he just asked someone? She shook off the thought, not wanting to think about it.

However, a slight bout of curiosity made her eyes move from the dark tunnel ahead to Zuko's figure. He was tall, dark and…a little handsome. No, that was a lie. He _was_ handsome.

He was definitely muscular. His bare arms could fit three of hers on one side. As she grabbed her chin in contemplation, she decided she could understand the hype that came with his new title 'World's most eligible bachelor'. Wealth, power, looks. Everything was checked off in terms of desirability. Before she realized it, she found herself comparing his physique to Aang's, finding the man she loved to be a little lacking.

She definitely shook that thought off and buried it so deep that she pretended it never existed. Growing even more embarrassed at her thoughts, she let a few paces separate them as they walked. Instead of checking him out, she was _suppose_ d to be feeling remorseful and worried he was going to renounce their friendship any moment.

"Why are we sneaking into the city? Can't we just walk through the streets normally?" Her voice echoed through the tunnel.

"If people found out we - that _I_ was walking through the streets, it would attract a crowd. I can't go where we're going as the Fire Lord."

"Oh."

That was the last thing either of them said as they walked the rest of the long tunnel. There was a thick tension in the air the entire way and Katara was having a hard time with it. She kept wanting to apologize, but had a feeling Zuko would not want to hear it until they got to where ever they were going. When they finally reached the end, Zuko pulled a hood over his head and covered the lower part of his face in black cloth. He told her to do the same. She couldn't help but notice how their current appearance was far more suspicious than if they had just gone in regular clothes. If someone saw them, they'd no doubt think the two of them were criminals up to no good.

She followed him through the streets, avoiding more crowded areas and sticking to alleyways most of the time. They walked a lot further than she had expected to the point where the buildings were more spaced apart and light from the street lanterns was faded. Zuko eventually ended their trek by stopping in an alleyway looking up a wall of a building. After some contemplation, he jumped and grabbed onto a large pipe that ran down the wall from the roof, and started climbing.

Katara watched him for a moment before she too started climbing. It was harder than she expected and remarked to herself how easy Zuko made it look. When he reached the top, he held out his hand to her. She grabbed it, thinking he was just going to offer her a small boost, but instead, he effortlessly pulled her up and carefully swung her over the edge onto the rooftop.

He let go of her then pulled down the mask and took off the hood covering him. Once again, she did the same then turned to get a good look at the rooftop they were on, eager to see what all the suspense he built up was leading to.

There was nothing.

The rooftop they were on was completely bare. She turned to him confused, her brow furrowed. He looked back at her for a moment and she noticed the earlier scowl he had was gone, his face left expressionless.

"Come on," he said as he turned.

He slowly walked over to the other side of the roof and looked over the edge. She followed him to see what he was looking at.

There was a group of about fifty people in a street below them. It was lightly lit by lanterns and small flickers of candle light. She thought what she was looking at was some sort of party until she looked closer at the faces below. Each and every person was quiet and holding a small candle below their chests. All of them had a sad expression.

Not understanding what she was seeing, she turned to Zuko and spoke quietly, "What is this?"

"These are the families of the victims the boy you saw today murdered." Katara's heart tightened at the words and she looked back down to the crowd. "Though it's been weeks since it happened, they waited until tonight to hold this vigil."

Some were crying and each of them seemed to be taking turns to place some sort of offering, flowers mostly, in front of paintings of the victims. The scene instantly moved her, and she ached at seeing the pain on each of their faces.

Zuko continued, "The boy who killed them did it as a gang initiation. He was tracked down and brought before the courts. One of the first things I did as Fire Lord was give power back to public courts instead of having the military control them. The people decide on the punishment, but I can veto it if I choose. I don't go against their verdicts very often. Maybe that makes me a bad person."

Katara bit at her lip. "But like I said, you were right. There are other options besides what was decided for him. If I pushed a little harder, maybe he wouldn't have had that sentence. At the same time, it's hard for me to justify sticking up for him when I see this," he said as he motioned to the mourning people below them. His voice dropped and what he said next seemed to be more to himself than to her. "I don't like making decisions like those."

Katara was surprised. He was so hard as stone since she got there, and this little bit of raw emotion was new. Hearing the vulnerability in his voice, it prompted her to try to imagine herself in his shoes, but found she wasn't able to hold as easily to her resolve as she thought she would.

Her conviction wouldn't let her agree with the point he was trying to make, but there was an uncomfortable air of hesitation she couldn't quite get past.

That soon disappeared when she looked between the faces of the mourners and recognized something in them that she saw in herself years ago. The pain they were going through...she felt that first hand when she faced her mother's killer.

For the longest time, she wanted nothing more than to see that murderer dead. She wanted him gone from this earth for taking something so precious from her. Deep down, she knew if she stood down there with them staring at a picture of her mother, knowing the man responsible for her heart ache was finally gone...whether it was right or wrong would be something far away from her thoughts.

"Do you trust me, Katara?"

"I do." It wasn't a lie.

"Then please trust the decisions I make."

 _'Is there really just one right decision here?'_

Feeling drained, she sighed away her confusion and chose her next words carefully. "I will."

She meant it too.

Katara studied each one of their faces, her heart growing heavier by the moment. As she silently sent them her condolences for a pain she was familiar with, her eyes drifted to an older woman and widened in recognition.

That woman she was looking at was the restaurant owner that rudely kicked her out. She stood next to one of the paintings of a teenage boy with one hand clutching onto it and the other holding a candle. Her face was sorrowful and there were tears running from her eyes. Katara's heart nearly broke at the sight of her. She pictured that woman as nothing but one of the meanest the world had to offer, but was instantly humbled by the tragic display.

Katara knew her pain went deeper than the loss of the boy in the painting. She told them her husband died in the war, and now her son was taken from her too. Any previous dislike she felt for her vanished in an instant and nothing but empathy was left over. Katara couldn't stop the tears that came to her eyes and ran down her cheeks.

Zuko's attention was pulled from the vigil to Katara when he saw her hand reach for her face. His eyes widened when he realized she was crying. Quickly looking away, he swallowed; an inkling of shame beginning to surface. The reason he brought her out here to see this was not as humble as he made it out to be.

He brought her to the vigil out of frustration and with the intent of making a point to her. He obviously did get his point across and she accepted the things he wanted to say, but he didn't feel victorious like he thought he would.

No, he was feeling guilt, and seeing tears in her eyes made it even worse. To see her so moved by the scene below, enough to shed tears for people she didn't even know, made him realize just how in the wrong he was about his intentions to come here.

He wasn't going to pay his respects, he didn't feel the need to. Until now.

Had he become so detached from all of this that what was happening below was now 'business as usual'? These were people who just went through the worst kind of loss, but it was just another court case to him. Just another minor event in his rule. He discretely looked at Katara apologetically.

Maybe he _did_ deserve to be called a monster.

He headed toward the edge of the roof, and turned to Katara as he reached the end. "Wait here," he said quietly.

She nodded and he disappeared over the edge. A few minutes later, he came back with two candles identical to the ones the people below were holding.

He lit one of them and slowly handed it to her. Katara gladly took it and held it below her chest like the crowd below.

She was glad he brought her here. The confusion this situation caused was far from gone, but there was a growing, peaceful warmth in her chest. It put her at ease.

She looked up at Zuko fondly as he lit his own candle and decided it was comforting to see this side of may not have had tears in his eyes, but she could feel emotion coming from him. If only she had known that it was because of her heartfelt example that he chose to do this – that he realized he wanted to.

"Thank you, Katara," Zuko nearly whispered.

"For what?"

He seemed to search for the right words in his eyes before he answered back, "For being here."

* * *

The night was beginning to grow cold. Everything seemed to settle and still under its chilled touch, but the warm feeling in Katara's chest kept the icy air away.

The last of the lantern lights faded in the street below them and the people disappeared one by one. Katara's candle finally went out and a small stream of smoke brushed against her face. Zuko's went out a while ago, but he still held it as though it were lit. He reached out and she handed him the candle. He set both of them on the balcony edge and, after one last glance at the disappearing people below, he turned and headed across the rooftop.

She didn't expect to stay so long and they were one of the last to leave. If she didn't know any better, she'd say Zuko didn't want them to leave until it was over. She was fine with that. More than fine, actually. She smiled at his back as she followed him. To see him like this tonight only made her respect for him grow. The compassion he showed went against the stoic picture he painted for himself lately. It reminded her of his softer side she'd nearly forgotten about.

They didn't say much throughout the rest of the vigil, but she was perfectly comfortable in the silence. The warmth and peaceful feeling said more than words could. It was the kind of blissful state she hadn't felt very much in her life, at least, not to this extent. She was glad she had Zuko to share it with.

She followed him down as they climbed back onto the pipe. As he jumped to the ground, he offered his hand to her for support again. She took it even though she didn't need it. Placing his other hand on her hip, he gracefully helped her down.

She expected him to let her go right away so they could be on their way, but his hand lingered on her waist a moment too long. A sharp, uncomfortable tension in the air appeared and froze her to her spot. After eyeing his hand, she nervously looked up at him. She barely had a second to notice a look on his face she wasn't quite sure what to make of before he quickly let go and stepped away.

Letting out a breath she didn't realize she was holding, she didn't move from her spot as he started walking down the alley.

Cold air replaced where his warm chest had been only a moment ago.

She tried not to think too much about what he just did and followed behind him, absentmindedly touching the spot his hand had been on her hip. It felt warmer than usual.

Not bothered by the silence between them, Zuko sighed with content. He felt much better than he did earlier, much more at peace with himself after lighting that candle. As the night went on, he considered going to more of those vigils when they happened. He needed to see that tonight, and going to more would probably do him some good. He glanced at the woman behind him. It was nice to have someone here with him during that.

If he asked, Katara would probably go with him again.

 _'While she's still here…at least…'_

Suddenly, a dark shape caught his eye and he halted immediately. Tensing, he looked to the building across the street. When he saw the shadow again, he scowled. He reached down and grabbed Katara's hand and started jogging with her in tow. He let go when her pace caught up.

"What's going on?"

"Someone's following us."

She looked behind them. "Who?!"

"I don't know." Probably some petty thief looking to get a nice payday. He cursed under his breath at the interruption to his peaceful mood. Nevermind that he was with a master waterbender, he himself could more than easily handle a little threat like that, but there was the slight chance his identity could be exposed if they got into a fight.

It would just be easier to hide until their follower moved on.

As he turned into another alley, he spotted a small corner. It would have to do. He quickly ushered Katara in it and stepped in himself, then peeked around the wall to see if they lost him. He would have stayed vigilant and fixated if Katara hadn't interrupted him.

"Um…Zuko."

He turned his attention to her and realized he inadvertently nearly pinned her against the wall. He backed away from her immediately in what little space they had and offered an apology under his breath. Before he turned his attention back, he was momentarily distracted by the blush on her cheeks.

They hid there for a minute or tho with Zuko occasionally glancing around for the dark figure.

"Should I be worried?" she asked.

"No, it's probably just a thief."

She started fidgeting and he looked back at her again with a slightly raised eyebrow. Once again, he was distracted by the blush that still hadn't faded. A little amused by the sight, he momentarily forgot about their stalker. She was breathing a little hard from the sprint he made her break into.

He was suddenly feeling playful. "You need to work out more."

She just looked at him for a moment before rolling her eyes. "You first."

"I'm serious. Someone would think you're going into heat stroke with how red your face is."

Katara opened her mouth slightly in surprise as her hand darted up to her too-warm cheek. She may feel a little winded, but that wasn't the main reason she was blushing. Zuko's chest pressed up against her own not a moment ago was to blame for that. Shaking her head in embarassment, she folded her arms, looked away, and scowled. "I'm glad someone's finally in a good mood."

"I'm not in a bad mood _that_ often," he defended.

"Oh yes you are, especially these days."

"Hmph." He leaned back on the wall and looked away, his smile fading.

Katara was annoyed, but suddenly didn't want to see his smile disappear completely. "You need to loosen up. You're always so rigid."

She jabbed a finger in his chest, intending to push him back a little further, but only succeeded in pushing herself back.

"Whatever. Anything else you want to say while you have me in this position?"

 _'You have no idea, Zuko_.'

She had plenty to say and ask him, but didn't want to ruin the sudden light-hearted moment. She smiled at him lightly and stuck to more playful things. "Yeah, I think you forgot what fun is."

"Oh? I'm having fun right now unless this is one-sided." He smirked.

"I wouldn't say running through a city sneaking around like we're criminals hiding from a stalker counts as fun."

He blinked a few times and then quickly looked around the corner as if he forgot the reason they were standing in that tight corner.

"You need to get out more."

"Oh yeah? You've done this before?"

"I have, actually."

Katara looked at him curiously. "You've had someone chase you through the city in the middle of the night for the fun of it?"

"Or I've done the chasing. You should try it. It's a lot more fun than sparring sometimes."

"Are you saying you me to chase you through the city?"

"You'd never find me."

"You sound awful confident with that statement." He only glanced at her with a sly smile. Suddenly feeling her pride being encroached on, she leaned against the wall with a critical look. "It can't be that hard."

"Harder than you think. I do drills like that with my guard sometimes. I've only been found twice."

"Okay, why don't you chase me? I'm good at running and hiding. You should know." Katara couldn't help the triumphant smile that spread across her face as she thought of their younger years when Zuko chased them all over the world.

"I remember finding you eventually anywhere you went. It would be the same in this city. I'd find you too easily."

"And why's that?"

"Your footsteps are too loud, and I doubt you've had much experience with stealth."

He was unrelenting in his point-making. Katara tapped her fingers against her arm. "Did you forget I was the one that got us into that base unseen when we were after the Southern Raiders?"

"While I told you where and when to hide the entire time? Yeah, I remember."

She wanted to wipe that smirk off his face so bad, though, she couldn't help but hesitate. She could handle combat easily as long as she had water to work with, but how could water help with running and hiding? Zuko was more well rounded than her when it came to skills like that. He probably was far better than her, but Katara was never one to back down from a challenge. Besides, it's not like they had anything else to get back to at the palace. "Fine. Let's do it."

"Do what?"

"Chase me through the city. See if you can keep up and find me."

His half-smile remained for a moment as he considered her, but just as she expected him to take her up on it, it slowly disappeared. He looked away as his hand slowly reached up and stopped a few inches in front of his chest.

"Not tonight. It's late." He lowered his hand back to his side.

She would have goaded him on if not for the strange tone of voice he used. Suddenly, there was tension in the air and Katara could almost feel Zuko shove a wall between them. She narrowed her eyes suspiciously at him as his playful attitude slowly disappeared. Sighing, she spoke lowly, "You don't have much fun these days, do you?"

"Not really."

She merely nodded and Zuko felt bad that he was the one that caused the sudden downcast mood. He opened his mouth to say something, but stopped when Katara's blue eyes looked into his with concern and some other emotion he couldn't read. It was the same look she gave him in the sitting room the first night she stayed.

She didn't need to say any words, but she was doing it again.

Saying things with her eyes that made him uncomfortable; things a little too deep he didn't want to discuss. Yet, he didn't feel the need to get away from it. He didn't feel threatened by the silence. In fact, for some reason, he felt calm.

"I think-" her voice cut off when they both heard something above them.

Zuko sprang into action and jumped in front of Katara defensively as the dark figure from before jumped to the ground in front of them. Zuko was ready to throw a blazing flame into his face. He almost did too, if not for a split second before he did he saw who the man was. Putting out the small flames in his palms, he froze and blinked. Katara pulled a small stream of water from who knows where and looked like she was ready to attack. The man was smart and pulled away his hood to reveal his face before she did.

"You know, if you wanted to run around the city and play criminal, all you had to do was say so," Shen said with an annoyed look while crossing his arms. He was dressed almost identical to Zuko.

Zuko relaxed and so did Katara. "I thought we lost you back there."

"You did, but give me some credit. You didn't hire me because of my good looks."

"That's truer than you realize."

Shen smirked. "Did you know it was me?"

"I had my suspicions."

"Well, now that I've found you, are you two still going to run around?"

"What if I said yes and ordered you to go back to the palace?"

"I'd say 'not a chance'."

Tempted to take the challenge, but remembering why he denied Katara in the first place, he shook his head, then looked down at the woman standing next to him. "Come on, let's head back. It's getting late."

She smiled up at him. He was about to turn away when her face suddenly changed. She looked past him into the sky and her eyes widened. At the corner of his eye, he saw Shen's head turned upward with the same expression. When he looked up towards the dark, star-filled sky, but that was not what he saw. He saw what looked like the Northern Lights.

They were brilliant blue streams stretched across the sky, and a scene absolutely unheard of in the Fire Nation. With his thoughts and attention totally swept up into the light in the sky, he stepped out into the street to get a better look at them. He could hear the gasps of people nearby as they stared up in wonder. The Northern Lights had never reached this far south, it was truly something to behold.

The spectacle lasted barely a minute before completely disappearing. Unable, for the life of him, to come up with an explanation for what just happened, he looked to his two companions standing next to him, both of them having the same question in their eyes as he did.

* * *

A/N: I love Katara, I do, but if you dive deep into her personality, there are a lot of things to dislike. One trait I wanted to point attention to (one that's going to cause her a lot of trouble in future chapters) is her self-righteous attitude at times. I feel that it's less potent now that she's older, but it's still around and shines when she's provoked. I feel that her reaction is very in-character, but please let me know if you disagree.

Thanks for reading!


	6. Open Up

A/N: In a perfect world, I'd live in a cute little victorian-style apartment with an adorable little cat, not working, not going to school, and doing nothing but write and draw all day...*sigh* But, alas, that's probably not going to happen. Life gets in the way, and I can't guarantee consistent updates, but from now on I'll try to post projected update days on my profile. I think giving myself a deadline will help get chapters out faster...

Thank you guys so much for the support you've shown for this fic! It seriously makes my day when you let me know your thoughts.

Last chapter was a little dark in terms of themes, but it has groundwork that needed to be laid for upcoming chapters. I'm happy to see that you guys liked it (controversial topics like that are a gamble to write about).

Disclaimer: No own, no sue.

Enjoy the chapter.

* * *

 _Chapter 6_

 **Open Up**

...

There was a spirit world and a mortal world.

Known by all, the mortal world contained everything from the trees to animals to human beings and their way of life. To know if something existed in that world, all you had to do was see it. For nothing existed there that could not be seen, smelt, touched and above all, understood. That was not the case with the spirit world. There were entities there – beings – that even in their own world could not be seen or understood.

It was a mesh of ideas, thoughts, things people understood, and things they did not that dwelled there. Some aspects from the spirit world were so skewed and strange that no person throughout history could understand it the same way as another. Most spent their entire lives trying to make sense of the mysterious world, dedicating all their time to understand how and _why_. But, it wasn't _all_ a giant world of unknown.

There were things about it that people did understand. There were many spirits that embodied the very aspects of life, the world, and nature. They crossed over into the mortal world sometimes making their presence known, sometimes not. There were even spirits in the mortal world that had been controlling and caring for the most vital parts of life since the beginning of time. Without their intervention and constant vigilance, it was a theory that the mortal world itself would die.

It was their intervention that caused phenomena that mortal beings could not comprehend. All the secrets of life were in one way or another tied to that strange realm. Their inner workings, the reason they happen, and their very aspects could not be explained by seeing, touching, or feeling. To understand their workings, you had to look in a place that seemed unlikely to hold the answers. You had to understand your very soul.

How understanding your own soul could help you understand why a spirit was protecting a forest or a lake was anyone's guess. Throughout history, some claimed to have found truths during their search. Maybe some of them did, but maybe, more of them did not.

That was as far as Zuko's knowledge of spirits went.

He was no stranger to soul searching, he'd done it plenty in his life, but never had he felt any sort of spiritual connection while doing it. Never had a sudden realization happened of why something in nature behaved the way it did because of a spirit. He never felt that so called 'peaceful' connection people told of. He understood nothing about the spirit world past what a book or a spiritualist told him.

They existed, that he could not deny, but everything past that was unknown to him. He admired the people that did have that link, but he never envied them. He didn't see the benefit people claimed they had with lives dedicated to something like that. It seemed such a waste to spend all his time trying to understand life rather than _living_ it.

He was _not_ a spiritual person. He couldn't understand it all. Maybe that was some sort of flaw in his soul. He'd like to think it was the opposite, though. He didn't feel like he was missing out on anything, and if there were things he did want to understand, he had those he could just ask to give him his answer.

He never felt he was lacking.

He never felt he was without answers.

Until now.

The memory of the lights he briefly saw last night weaved through his thoughts. Reports were still coming in, and thus far it seemed there wasn't a place the lights _hadn't_ been seen. Zuko wasn't concerned about it at first. The northern lights never made it this far south into Fire Nation, but other places in the world had strange things like that happen in the past. Nothing terrible came of it; it was nothing but a brief light show.

Only when a slight panic spread did he start to worry. A few claimed strange weather, others screamed spiritual phenomena. Some turned to the Fire Sages for an answer, as they typically did when strange things happened. However, the moment they found out the lead sage was sick was when some of the panic started. The other sages didn't know what was going on, and other spiritualists in general didn't have a clue what caused it.

Zuko was among those that were worried about the High Sage, but it wasn't the same worry that everyone else shared. That man gave him a warning...

 _'What was it about? Shadows and the end of the word?'_ Zuko briefly thought.

It seemed too strange that he would suddenly fall ill right before something like this. He was left to search for answers on his own, which didn't get him very far. What could he do other than wait for someone to tell him what was going on?

He was stuck in the same boat as everyone else. Though jaded by the lights, business as usual had to continue; in the Fire Nation, in the palace. Eventually, the worrisome thoughts turned into a haunting shadow in the back of his mind.

He refocused his eyes on the man speaking in front of him. He stopped listening a while ago as his advisor started listing all of the things that needed to be done that day. Truthfully, he really needed to stop doing that. While it seemed trivial, ignoring conversations like this was a bad habit.

At the same time, it was hard to get engaged in a conversation when the topic was art judging. He eyed the five ridiculous trinkets the man placed on his already cluttered desk. His advisor went on about how it was important for him to choose one for an upcoming event. Not having the slightest interest in it, Zuko let his eyes fade out as his mind wandered again. He was already in a strange mood from constantly thinking about last night, and this regular morning routine was not helping.

However, as he considered it, he had to admit that last night wasn't all that bad. In fact, it had been rather nice. He had bad intentions for it at first, but going to that vigil had put him at peace with a few things that had been on his mind. He also enjoyed that he had a certain companion with him.

The babbling man disappeared as he imagined it was a blue-eyed waterbender sitting in front of him instead. That woman had a habit of riling him up lately for a thousand different reasons, but he found himself enjoying her presence last night near the end. It was something rare these days; for him to feel so at ease around someone. Maybe it was the scenery. Maybe it was the vigil.

Or maybe it was just her.

As he went over the memory of last night, he spaced out into a daydream, somewhat toying with the idea of asking Katara to come out to the city with him again tonight. Maybe if he took it slow, they could pick up on that chase she dared him into. Even with the invisible knife in his chest, it would be more than easy to catch her. Now that he thought about it, it might actually be a lot of fun...

"Regarding your earlier meeting this morning with the Northern Water Tribe, I have a scholar here in the palace you can consult with if you chose to."

Zuko's smile and mood were killed instantly. He cringed at the memory of the embarrassing meeting. "I didn't send for a scholar."

"I know, and I apologize. I did not imply you need to speak with him, but he is here if you wish to. His knowledge of northern culture and etiquette-"

He stopped immediately as Zuko raised his hand, not wanting to hear any more. He pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed. He did embarrass himself rather badly in front of them. Apparently, his knowledge of the north's customs was lacking. He worded something 'incorrectly' when speaking to them and they ended up getting a laugh at his expense.

It was hard to cool his temper and he was a little quieter throughout the rest of the meeting, which was not a good thing. It was part of the reason he didn't like dealing with the northern tribe. Of all the countries of the world, he was least knowledgeable about theirs.

He'd have to do some research on their customs, but he wasn't going to go to a scholar for it.

He dismissed his advisor, who reminded him of the figurines sitting on his desk as he walked out of the room. Once he was alone, Zuko walked into the foyer room adorned with books and art and ran his eyes across the empty sitting area, grateful for the quiet.

On top of his concern about last night, he was still rather perturbed with how the meeting went. Every time they came to visit, every time they spoke, the north laid out exactly what they wanted with all plans and details included. They were always on top of things, always efficient, and _always_ walked into a meeting with a goal in mind. They were never coy about their intentions.

This time was different, though.

For the first time, they didn't want to talk about policy, trade, or any other political topic. It was nothing but casual talk and little was accomplished, boiling down to a rather useless waste of his time. It was odd behavior and it left Zuko walking out away with a suspicious feeling.

They were up to something, and try as he might, he couldn't convince himself otherwise. Why else would people he's worked with so often over the years suddenly change the way they handle business? There was absolutely no reason to compel it. He knew these people and games they played with these matters and there was some sort of tactic going on.

Zuko sat down on one of the couches and sighed with critical expression.

They were now valuable allies, but that didn't mean he trusted them. There was always something they were after.

 _'Maybe that's why they came early,'_ he mused.

Did they have a scheme going on? One they intend to plan out here? No, that wouldn't make sense. They wouldn't wait to plan something here for risk of others hearing about it unless...

Zuko swallowed.

Unless the south was in on it too.

The faces of Sokka and Katara came to mind and he couldn't bring himself to believe it. Surely is friends, people he trusted, wouldn't go behind his back to get something done. Even if for some reason Sokka was in on it, it was impossible for him to imagine Katara taking part. Honestly, he'd be more hurt from her betrayal than anyone else.

He really couldn't think of a reason why her turning her back on him would upset him more.

Zuko thought on that for some time and what else had been plaguing his mind; he wasn't sure how long. The light in the room eventually shifted as the hour passed. At one point, he grew too uncomfortable in the position he was in, and stood up. Just as he was about to head back into his office area to finish going through documents that needed to be signed, something on the bookshelf caught his eye.

It was a blue book that stood out among the black, brown and red ones. The title was a modest one: "Northern Water Tribe Culture". He'd never seen that book before, and briefly wondered if his advisor slipped it into the case as he walked out earlier.

His temper flared at the sight of it, a truly immature thing to do, but he couldn't help it. There were other books very similar to that on the self, similar topics too, but of course he had to notice that particular one. He thought about turning and forgetting it was there, but faces of laughing Water Tribe men danced in front of his eyes.

Zuko was across the room in a second and ripped the book from its case. Even though he suddenly hated the book in his hands with a burning passion, he opened it begrudgingly. Now that he thought about it, he'd read the whole book through three times if it meant he'd never be made a fool in front of them again.

He fell back into the couch he was in earlier. At the least, this was better than taking lessons from a scholar.

He opened it to a random spot and was about a page and a half through reading about table manners before he tossed it to the side of him. It landed closed with a thud. Needless to say, he was having a hard time calming down. They were supposed to be allies, yet they basically humiliated him in front of a large crowd. The more he thought about it, the more he felt they should have been respectful enough to not laugh at the world's most powerful man. They had no idea what he was capable of.

Zuko shook his head, a little shocked by such an extreme thought.

Those were words of a tyrant. He shouldn't say things like that, no matter how mad or upset he was.

He continued to eye the book sitting next to him as he calmed himself down. After a minute, he heard someone knock at the archway of the room. He gladly took his eyes from the book to the person standing at the entrance. It was a member of his guard, Toran, the second in command.

He bowed as Zuko spoke, only half interested in why the man was here, "What is it?"

"You requested to be kept updated about the Huo Mar investigation. I've brought that update for you."

"Go on."

"Well, there really is no update. Things are still the same and no headway has been made."

"The identities of their leadership are still unknown?"

"Yes."

The news only darkened Zuko's bad mood. What on earth was General Xuehin doing? This local gang, which was causing a mountain of trouble in his capital, was supposed to be put down by now. That's why he put the man on the job, he was the best. Months of their criminal activity had been going on. He didn't have time to keep waiting on him for some damned results.

"What do you and the captain think of the situation?"

He hesitated. "We think we may have a lead."

"Why didn't you take this to General Xuehin?" He didn't answer, and Zuko knew what the silence meant. "You want to start your own investigation," he stated.

"We do."

"You realize, if I approve this, I'll be going behind the general's back."

"We know."

Put on the spot, he weighed his options carefully. Though, as he remembered the vigil he and Katara went to last night, his mind was made up. If there was anything that would prevent more vigils like that, more loss like that, he would take it. The general already proved to be slow with results, and maybe now was the time to get involved himself. "I'll allow it, but make it strictly information gathering. Nothing else."

"Very well. We'll head into the city tonight to see if we can find anything. We're taking the senior members with us, so the guards on duty will be different."

"Sounds like you've already made the plans. Were you that confident I'd agree to let you go?"

"Shen was."

 _'Of course he was,'_ Zuko thought with a sigh.

Zuko dismissed Toran and when he was alone again, his mind waded through the news he was just told until his eyes eventually wandered back to the book sitting next to him. He pushed the previous discussion out of his mind, trusting that the issue would be taken care of, and turned his attention back to his other predicament.

He reached out, grabbed the book, and opened it up to another random page again, then lazily picked up where he left off. When he realized he opened to the topic of dating rituals, he halted. He had no business reading this part. He should be looking into topics like 'Formal Conversation' or 'Tips for clueless Fire Lords' or something.

However, he wasn't changing the page. Due to a small bout of curiosity, he quickly looked towards the archway to make sure no one was there and then continued reading.

 _'...in many circumstances, it is expected that the potential groom offer a gift to either the lady of his interest or her father to prove that he can provide for a family. Often, the gift is related to the suitor's profession or skill set. These gifts are especially necessary if the suitor is coming from a different village.'_

He vaguely wondered how many gifts were necessary, considering that a necklace was needed too. That was about as far as his knowledge went and he found he was instantly sucked into the words on the page, curious to see what else it had to say.

Once again, he hadn't gotten more than two pages in before someone else was standing in the archway. He cursed under his breath at the second interruption and was ready to yell at them to leave him alone unless it was an emergency. His angry words froze on his tongue when he saw who it was waiting patiently. Katara smiled at him when his wide eyes met hers.

Of course _it had to be her_ that walked in while he was in the middle of reading something like that.

Not only that, but why did he always seem to panic when he saw her these days? It made no sense! Embarrassed, he slid the book out of sight. She didn't seem to notice and walked in.

"Do you need something?" he asked as he fidgeted and cleared his throat.

She glanced around the spacious room taking in all the details as she walked closer to him. "I was told you'd be here. I came to drop off a scroll and pick one up from you."

"They're having you run their errands now? Didn't you bring servants here for that sort of thing?"

"No, and I volunteered."

"Why?"

"I guess 'boredom' would be the right answer. Maybe I wanted to see you."

"Something on your mind?"

"Um, not really," she said as she looked away from him.

 _'Liar.'_

He could tell instantly she was hiding something. Small it may be, but still.

"What's bothering you, Katara?" he asked sternly.

Suddenly put on the spot, Katara hesitated for a moment. She was going to try out some light conversation and the like before moving onto the real reason she was here. Apparently, Zuko wasn't interested.

"It's about last night, the lights. I heard the High Sage is not saying anything about it."

"He's still sick."

"Do you think he being sick and the lights' appearance are related?"

His brow furrowed in concern as he looked away from her. "I hope not. I don't know the first thing when it comes to spiritual issues like this. If it is one, that is."

Disappointed at the lack of an update, she sighed.

"Don't take this the wrong way," he said, "But why are you asking me about it? You could have walked to the temple and seen for yourself."

She shrugged, not having an answer for him. She _could_ have gone to the temple, but she ended up here instead...

The lights last night weren't exactly something new to her. Though it was common in the north, the south had their own lights occasionally. What had her worried was everyone's behavior here. If they were right and this had something to do with spirits, there were only a handful of people that could confirm it. "I hope Aang gets here soon. He might know what's going on."

For a brief moment, she thought she saw a scowl on Zuko's face, but before she could be sure, it disappeared. He stood up and walked passed her. "Maybe, but all we can do is wait."

Sensing his loss of interest in the subject, she didn't say anything more about it. She followed him in the room he stepped into and found herself in a large office-like area. What stuck out the most among everything in there was a large desk covered in scrolls and other papers. It was a mess - not something she expected to see in this clean, pristine palace.

She handed him the scroll when he asked for it and sat down in front of the desk as he rummaged through some documents. When his eyes flicked to her momentarily, she looked away, suddenly realizing she was staring at him. Her eyes landed on five figurines placed in a row on his desk. She blinked at them in surprise. Glass art was a rare treasure in the world and never had she seen some quite like that before; it was beautiful. Out of all of them, one, in particular, caught her eye.

It was a blue and purple flower and by far more beautiful than any living blossom she'd seen. She reached out and gently picked it up, then ran her finger over it lightly; marveling at the level of detail it had. With the way the colors complimented each other, it almost looked like it was glowing.

"This is incredible. I've never seen something like this," she said without taking her eyes from it.

Zuko paused. "You've never seen glass art?"

"I have, but not like this."

"Probably because it was made by a firebender."

"What do you mean?"

"There's a certain type of glass art that only firebenders can make. It's a hard technique to learn and even more difficult to master."

Incredible. Who knew firebending could be used for art? All in a moment, it changed her perspective slightly on the most damaging and destructive type of bending. She used ice in the past to create sculptures and the like, but they always melted. Not like this crystal flower in her hand. This could last forever.

Zuko watched curiously as Katara marveled over the figurine in her hand. He hadn't taken time to look at them since his advisor plopped them down earlier. The one she was holding didn't look any more special than the others, but Katara was obviously enamored by it. It _was_ a flower. Maybe it was a female thing?

As he watched her, for a brief moment, he compared her reaction to it to one Mai would have had. He knew for a fact that she would've just looked at them all in boredom, not interested in the slightest in the beauty they had. That was one thing he struggled with most with her. She never really appreciated the gifts he tried to give her. He thought maybe something was wrong with him and he was truly unable to find something that a woman would appreciate.

Sure, he hadn't actually given it to Katara, but he found himself strangely satisfied by her reaction. Perhaps relieved that he actually possessed something a woman would actually enjoy. Before he really thought about it, he spoke, "You can have it, if you want."

She finally looked up at him, surprised.

He froze a little in surprise too. He didn't intend to keep those things and was going to have them removed from his desk as soon as possible, and so giving them away didn't seem like a bad idea. Though, that's not what made him halt.

He suddenly remembered the words of the book he read earlier about Water Tribe dating and the role gift-giving played. She wasn't going to get the wrong idea about his offer, would she? As he momentarily fretted over it, he soon realized how ridiculous it was to think that. Not only were those customs of the north, but this had absolutely nothing to do with some sort of courting offer.

Zuko shoved the absurd thought aside and spoke again, "I was going to get rid of them anyway."

Katara put her hand over it almost protectively at the news, like it was something living instead of just a piece of glass. "I'd love to keep it. Thank you, Zuko."

As she smiled at him, Zuko made up his mind to choose the artist that created that flower when his advisor came back for his answer. If Katara found it beautiful, then that was enough of a reason for his decision.

They looked at each other for a moment longer before Zuko remembered he was supposed to be looking for something. When he remembered where he left the scroll he was searching for, he stood up from his seat and headed back to the sitting area. Katara tucked the flower away in her robe then followed him.

As he picked up the scroll and made sure it was properly signed, he watched Katara, his eyes briefly glancing at her hips. She waited patiently for him, and her attention drifted to the books stacked along the wall. She walked over to them and slowly ran her finger across their backs as she read each of them aloud.

"Have you read all of these?"

"Most of them."

"They all look so boring."

He smirked, "I guess they fit me perfectly then."

With a light smile, she played along. "Touché." She halted at one book in particular and pulled it out. " _'The Lover and The Liar'_. This one's different from the rest."

"I guess. I haven't read that one."

"What's it about?"

"Betrayal, deceit, love. That sort of thing."

"I swear I've heard of it before. I think this is one Sokka gave me to read last night..." she said more to herself before turning to him with a questioning smile. "Why do you have a romance novel on your bookshelf?"

"I'm a hopeless romantic," he deadpanned.

That was obviously not the response Katara was expecting as she looked a little lost for words. Satisfied that he wiped her sly smile away, he continued, "Was that what you were expecting me to say?"

"Uh, no, but it's fine if you are."

' _Why are you blushing?'_ he wanted to ask when he saw her cheeks faintly turn red.

With a more serious tone, he said, "It's a classical romance. It's been made into a play that's very popular in the Fire Nation. That's probably why you've heard of it. I only have it because it's considered part of our heritage."

"Sounds interesting. We're going to that play soon, aren't we?"

"All the dignitaries are, but I don't know if I want to go yet. Not something I prefer."

With one last curious look at the book in her hands, she closed it and set it down, then headed toward the area he was sitting earlier. "Then what do you prefer?"

Zuko froze and his heart dropped to the floor when she reached for the book he thought he hid. Never mind that the book itself was something he didn't want to be seen reading _by anyone_ , but he made a grave mistake when he set it down. The book was lying face down, still open to the page he left it on. The dating rituals page.

He practically dropped the scroll in his hand and reached out in a panic, as if trying to desperately stop her. It didn't matter if he was fast enough to get to her, she was already staring at the front cover.

" _'Northern Water Tribe Culture'_?" she read aloud as her brow furrowed in confusion.

Zuko realized he looked panicked and tried to adjust his features, but failed miserably. He couldn't take his eyes off her hands, hoping they wouldn't turn the page over. When he didn't answer, she spoke again. "Why are you reading this?"

To learn about dating rituals? He couldn't even remember the real reason anymore. "I wasn't really…"

She stared blankly at him for a moment before laughing lightly. "Zuko, if you have questions about Water Tribe culture, you don't have read a book about it. I'm right here, you know."

"I don't have questions," he lied pathetically.

"Now you're just being stubborn about it. You obviously opened it to find out about something. What is it?"

Not giving him a chance to answer, she slowly started to turn the book over. Time slowed and Zuko moved so fast he didn't think he was capable of it. He was next to her instantly and grabbed her wrist, stopping her from turning it over completely. He wouldn't be able to handle the embarrassment if she actually saw.

Reading about Water Tribe dating...ugh.

She'd get the wrong idea and never look at him the same.

With his other hand, he slowly took the book from her, deciding he'd burn it the first chance he got. He wasn't satisfied until it was completely closed, forever hiding that page, and he finally calmed down. He moved to her eyes which he found surprisingly wide. She also had a light blush on her face, something he'd been seeing more and more of lately.

He was towering over her, right up against her and realized he'd stepped into her personal space. He was about to back up, but his eyes momentarily ran over her figure with it being so close and paused just below her neck. At the angle he was standing at, he could see the tip of her cleavage peeking out from her outfit.

Now, Zuko was a man and men had a tendency to let their eyes wander to those places, especially when it was right in front of them. That's the excuse he used for the gaze that lingered there longer than it should have. When he did pull his eyes away, it was harder to refocus them on her blue orbs than he thought.

Katara was flustered by his proximity and wasn't sure what to do about it. He was so close he may as well be pressed up against her. Like he did last night, he gave her a lingering intense look before stepping away from. Left confused by his behavior again, she tried to shake off the sudden heat she was feeling. He really needed to stop doing that.

"I…started to read this, but didn't get very far."

Katara blinked, remembering what they were talking about before his distracting invasion. He continued with a growing scowl, "I guess I don't know enough about northern culture as I probably should."

"But you don't have to read a book about it. You can ask me, or even Sokka. I'm sure what we have to say is a lot more helpful than what's in there."

He hesitated in contemplation, and his face grew more unhappy by the second. Eventually, he sighed. "Fine. Do you have a minute?"

"Of course."

He walked over to a couch, sat down and gestured to side of him. She followed his request and got comfortable next to him. Katara was surprised, almost baffled that he actually agreed. With the expression he had, she fully expected him to refuse her.

He started to ask her some questions about the north's culture, which she knew well by now. He seemed abnormally interested in formal conversation, and a little too eager to know about different kinds of insults. Curious as she was, she didn't ask him why he wanted to know such things, or what he was going to do with his new knowledge. Katara was more than happy to talk about the Water Tribes. The truth was, she'd talk anyone's ear off that wanted to hear about it.

Before she knew it, Zuko's attitude improved and both of them got carried away; clueless to the amount of time passing.

Eventually, Zuko's questions ended, but their conversation didn't stop.

"Can I see that flower I gave you?" he asked. A little surprised, she reached into her pocket and carefully pulled it out. He slowly took it from her palm and inspected it. "You really like this?"

"Of course. It's beautiful. Who wouldn't like it?"

He hesitated, "Mai hated stuff like this, but I guess you have to have an eye for it to appreciate it."

Katara was quiet for a moment at the mention of her name. She shouldn't pry, but Zuko was in a giving mood and she couldn't help her curiosity. "Do you miss her?"

He ran his finger over the flower before his amber eyes met hers. "Is it bad if I say no?"

"Not even a little?"

"A part of me still cares about her, but I wouldn't change what happened." He reached out and gently placed the glass figurine back in her palm. "We were distant most of the time, and when we weren't, it was...off."

"I'm sorry."

"I'm not."

She leaned her arm on the top of the couch and rested her head in her palm. "Don't you get lonely, though? I mean, your uncle is in Ba Sing Se still and your family…" she trailed off not wanting to finish, and wondering if maybe she overstepped.

His face fell a little. "You know, you're doing it again."

"Doing what?"

"Asking me something I don't want to answer."

Startled, Katara was unsure what to say. She didn't remember asking him things like that before. "Oh… I didn't mean-"

He cut her off with a wave of his hand. There was a ghost of a smirk on his lips. "I don't have a lot of family and friends surrounding me like you do, but I have enough. I have what I need."

She nodded thoughtfully, though, completely unconvinced. "So, then, why did you answer?"

He looked genuinely confused and answered lowly after a minute of silence. "I don't know."

There was something different in his eyes that Katara wanted to understand, and found herself wishing she could read his thoughts. If she asked about it, she knew he probably wouldn't tell. Resting her head more comfortably in her arms, she decided it wouldn't be so bad to spend the rest of the day handing out in here.

"Katara?"

"Yes?"

"What are you doing later tonight?"

"I..." she trailed off as she thought about it. However, she was distracted when her eyes landed on a scroll Zuko put down earlier. Looking to the window and realizing it was well into the afternoon, she jumped to her feet. "I can't believe I forgot! I've got to get this to the lead ambassador."

She hurriedly snatched the scroll. "You don't have to go," said Zuko.

Katara froze and looked back at him. He was staring at the spot she was just sitting in. "I can have someone deliver it, if you want."

She tapped the parchment in contemplation. She already committed to the tasks going on today, and she no doubt set things back by getting distracted. "Not this time, but I appreciate the offer." She headed toward the archway, finding herself a little reluctant to leave. "Bye, Zuko."

Zuko watched as she quickly disappeared through the archway, and for the first time, did not enjoy the silence that followed. Seeing his fun for the night run off with her, he closed his eyes and leaned into the cushions. Despite his current disappointment, he felt pretty relaxed after that long conversation with her.

It was too bad Katara wasn't around more often.

Zuko stood up and headed toward his office area, not really sure what he was going to do in there. He passed the blue book on his way and stared at it for a moment. True to his word, he burned it to a crisp in a metal trash bin. Thanks to Katara, he wouldn't need that any longer. He learned a lot, and truthfully, felt a lot more comfortable about facing them the next time he saw them.

As he watched the flames slowly shrink, he couldn't help but feel there was one thing still unanswered. Katara put to rest any concerns, but not the suspicion he felt towards them. That was something that needed to be looked into further. His face darkened as he thought about it.

' _What secrets are they hiding?'_ he thought, irritably.

One way or another, he was going to get an answer.

* * *

 _"We feared the weather may slow us down. I apologize if we may have intruded."_

 _"We decided it would be more efficient to start our business before the other world leaders arrived. We can postpone if you wish."_

 _"Early? Ah, yes, they did mention they would arrive early. I can't say for sure why, though."_

Liars. All of them - the ambassadors, his advisors, maybe his generals. One, two, or all three. He figured he could take his pick at this point.

Zuko gripped the unopened military-grade scroll in his hand hard. It was one that contained a record of official messages that went to and from the Water Tribes recently. It was one of many surrounding him in the large records room, but this was the only one that did not contain his seal, which was an absolute must for information like this.

What he found during his snooping was a clear-as-crystal message: someone was plotting behind his back right under his very nose, sending messages that did not go through him.

Glowering into the barely lit room, Zuko tucked the scroll away and sunk into the shadows as voices echoed through the towering book cases. He made it out of the room as easily as he got in and pulled his dark hood over his hair as he walked across the palace rooftop. Fighting hard to keep his footsteps quiet, he took the little-known path back to his bedroom. Though, every few seconds his foot would slam a little too hard into the shingles. He was so angry that he may as well be fuming.

 _'Damn it!'_ he wished he could scream aloud, _'What the hell is going on here?!'_

The moment he got to the safety of his room and read through who was responsible for those messages (the ones that broke a _law_ by keeping this from him), heads were going to roll.

He growled under his breath when he spotted some unexpected guards in the direction he was headed. Moving fast before they saw him, and realizing there wasn't anywhere to hide in his current spot, he jumped to the balcony below. It figures tonight of all nights they'd choose to patrol this part of the palace. Realizing he'd have to take the long way back, he opened the door to the darkened room and passed through it until he found himself in one of the empty guest halls.

Though it was a pain, he was grateful he decided to go straight to the source himself without anyone knowing. Afterall, did he know who he could trust around here anymore? The scroll weighing down his pocket was a sad reminder that, though things were getting better, this place was the same as it always was - a haven for schemers and backstabbers.

Grumbling under his breath, he made it to the end of the hall and stood before the room he intended to pass through. He pulled out his lock pick to force the door open, but was surprised to find it already unlocked. Cautiously, he opened it and stepped in, but froze when candlelight flickered against the walls. No one was in there, that he knew for sure, but it was a little odd that an empty guest hall had one of the rooms lit. It shouldn't be occupied for at least another week...

A familiar glass flower sitting on a nightstand caught his eye.

"..."

Was he really so distracted that he didn't realize he walked into a room he had already been in? He needed to leave before Katara came back, lest he get caught and have to explain why he sneaked in there. Zuko turned to the doors he needed to leave through, but his eyes stayed glued on the flower. He bit his cheek in contemplation for a moment before he slowly walked up to the night stand.

He picked up the figurine and turned it around in his palm a couple of times.

 _'Is she lying to me too?'_ he thought sullenly.

The prospect drained him. He didn't exactly know her well enough to be sure, but she was never good at keeping secrets...then again...

Footsteps echoed just outside the door, fast approaching. In a panic, his eyes widened and he set the flower down a little too loudly. With dread filling his chest, he looked to the balcony doors on the other side of the room. Too close, the footsteps were too close! There was no way he was going to make it out in time!

His heart hammered in his chest as he turned back to the door as the handle began to turn.


	7. Secrets

A/N: It's official, I'm an insomniac. All I do is daydream at night instead of sleep. I guess that's a good thing because this fic wouldn't be here otherwise. Such bittersweetness...

Speaking of sweetness, I love that Zuko is a dork deep down. It's perfect for awkward situations I like to throw him into!

Enjoy the chapter!

Disclaimer: No own, no sue.

* * *

 _Chapter 7_

 **Secrets**

...

Katara lifted her arms to take another smell of the pleasant aroma coming from her freshly cleaned clothes she was carrying. She didn't think she could be surprised again by what this palace had to offer. Even though she was living in a large city instead of the small village she was used to, household chores were still hers to take care of. There were no palace servants in the south to do menial tasks like cooking and cleaning.

So, it was a bit of a neat experience to have all her clothes cleaned perfectly and doused in an amazing scent she was quickly taking a liking to. Though uncomfortable with some of the things servants (She hated using that word - People - they were just people.) around here insisted on doing, she could get used to this part of high society - clean clothes and all.

"…willing to do anything to get out of this damned place."

Brought out of her thoughts, Katara slowed at hearing those words from around the corner, a little surprised by them and who they came from. It was a man from her tribe.

"It disgusts me just having to speak to some of these Fire Nation people."

Katara halted completely. With a furrowed brow, she got closer to the corner to hear them better.

"I know how you feel, but this is politics and you're going to have to deal with it."

"I've been doing this long enough to know that. Doesn't mean I have to like it."

There was silence for a moment and Katara was in disbelief. It was obvious some people still did not like the Fire Nation, but these two in particular had done a lot in securing peace between the two nations. To hear them say something like that was the last thing she expected.

One of them sighed. "You know, they are never going to agree to it. The Fire Lord shot it down once, and he's going to do it again."

"I know."

"I don't understand where their boldness to do it is coming from. To demand something like that from the Fire Nation is not going to be good for relations. If they go through with it, the Northern Tribe could jeopardize every other plan on the table."

"The north," the other man started slowly, "has brought something with them that will force Zuko to agree to their plans."

"I already know about it, and I doubt it's going to work." The man sighed again, "Even if it does, it's playing dirty."

"I know, but Cheif Arnook threatened to exclude us if we don't support them."

"They're bluffing, they need our support if it's going to work. And it had better work with all the trouble it's going to cause."

Katara was shocked at what she was hearing. Shocked that these men she thought she knew were involved in some sort of agenda going on, whatever it was. And the northern tribe? What on earth did they want so bad they have to _force_ Zuko into it?

She was sick to her stomach at the thought that this sort of thing was going on. It was an ugly slap in the face to remember the bad blood between the two peoples. Things were going so well lately, and they made so much progress towards peace. Was all that good will just a lie?

"Listen, I know you're upset about it, but we can voice our opinions about it when it all goes down. For now, you need to stop bringing it up, or someone might hear about it that shouldn't know."

 _'Someone like me?'_ She thought angrily.

"Fine, but one more thing. They need support of all three southern ambassadors for this. They had support of two already, and all that was left was the lead."

"I know where you're going with this. Ambassador Rako was supposed to be here, but he's not. Whether we like it or not, the decision is going to be Katara's."

"I can't believe she was picked for this. She's a naïve little girl who knows nothing about how things work here."

"Don't. My respect for the chief is greater than my respect for you."

"Don't be a fool. You know I'm right, and she is not the chief. She is not mature enough for this job - ignorant of everything but her own opinion."

The other man didn't say anything for a moment. "Come on. I've heard enough. They're going to start soon."

Katara was still as their footsteps disappeared. Even when she was left in silence, she stared blankly at the ground, the words she just heard replaying in her mind. Numbly, she pushed off from the wall and continued walking to her room. Her mind was in a haze when she opened the door. Something - a shadow perhaps - near the balcony briefly caught her eye, but after staring at the empty area only half interested, she looked away and closed the door.

When she sat down in front of the vanity, the reality of what she heard finally sunk in. She _couldn't_ believe it. How long had this plot been going on? Who knew about it? Her brother? Her father?

In the mirror, her expression paled. _'What are they planning to do to Zuko?'_

That question, in particular, spun painfully through her mind, not knowing where to begin on the possibilities of what they meant.

 _"...naive little girl..."_

The hurtful words were louder than anything else. She wasn't some simpleton who couldn't handle herself! She was excluded from some business while being here, but that was only because she was here for different reasons. She was more than capable if they would just give her a chance!

A sliver of doubt drove its way into her thoughts.

Was that what everyone saw? A naïve little girl?

As Katara was enveloped in uncertainty, a figure in the shadows was very close to panicking. Behind her was a very nervous Zuko, who made a mad dash to the closest place he could hide when he realized he couldn't make it to the balcony in time. In the moment, he was too terrified to get caught, but maybe hiding wasn't such a good idea. Maybe he should step out before this drags out too long - before she could find him like this...

No!

This was already bad as is! He did not want to explain to her why he was hiding in her room!

Gambling dangerously on the hope she would leave soon, Zuko bit his lip and tried to silence his ragged breathing.

Of all the people it could have been, why did it have to be her? Why was he not paying attention enough to realize the shortcut led straight through Katara's room? Damn his luck for abandoning him in this situation. This was only supposed to be a three-second detour! This would be the second potentially compromising position she could find him in today.

Zuko watched Katara intently as she scowled at herself in the mirror. With every second that passed, her frown would deepen. He was distracted only for a moment when he noticed that was not a typical look for her. She was rarely troubled to that degree and there was obviously something on her mind. Suddenly, she quickly grabbed her hairbrush and ran it through her brown locks a little too roughly. No doubt taking her mood out on the action.

The vicious jerks soon slowed as all the knots were worked out. When she deemed it acceptable, she put the brush down, but brought her fingers back up to absentmindedly run through her soft-looking hair.

For some reason, Zuko couldn't take his eyes from her and it wasn't entirely out of nervousness anymore. The slow movement of her hand was almost…hypnotizing. He couldn't say why exactly, other than the fact that he was hyperaware of her presence. The feeling was in extreme conflict with his borderline panic and left him feeling very uncomfortable.

With one last run through her hair, she stood up. He swallowed and hoped she was going to head for the door, but she didn't. In fact, she started to do something that made Zuko's eyes widen then look from the balcony door to her frantically.

She pulled at the cloth that secured her robe and tossed it on the bed. Then, in one swift movement, let the robe she was wearing slip to the ground. Zuko finally tore his gaze from her before he could see what was under it. He shut his eyes tight and leaned his head against the wall with his cheeks burning in embarrassment.

 _'Damn it, Katara. Why can't you just leave?!'_

He should have stepped out from the shadows when he had the chance.

There was no way he was stepping out at this point. The Avatar's, Aang, his close friend's girlfriend was stripping down right in front of him, and he was hiding from her while she was doing it! If she found him now, she would think he was some sort of perverted freak. Actually, he might as well be already! He was already hiding in a woman's room while she was undressing!

This was the most dishonorable thing he'd ever done. Getting banished from the Fire Nation was one thing, but this was totally different. To him, maybe worse. Water Tribe women were known for their modesty. Maybe Katara was a bit of an exception, but he wondered if she had stripped down like that for Aang or anyone else before. It made him want to pull his hair out.

No matter what, he'd keep his eyes glued shut until he heard her redressing, leaving, or something other than _taking her clothes off_.

His conviction lasted all of three seconds.

Footsteps padded across the room and before he could tell himself not to, his eyes opened and shot to her making sure those steps were not headed in his direction. To his relief, she was not walking toward him and she still had some clothing on. They were white wrappings much like the ones she would spar with in the past, but these were much smaller and far more revealing.

'Scant' was the word that came to mind as he looked them over. Very scant; hardly covering anything at all...

She walked over to the bed and stared at some clothes. With her facing away from him, Zuko had a nice view of her backside. Before he could stop himself, his eyes ran her up and down. He quite literally couldn't help it. What man could resist such a thing, especially when barely-covered curves like _that_ were on display?

Katara wore tight clothing before, but he had no idea she had curves like that. He had no idea that slim back and tiny waist was there, or that those round hips could belong to her. And her breasts - she was more well endowed than he realized.

Trying to get ahold of himself, he blinked and forced his eyes away from her only to have them fall on her again a few seconds later.

Katara was beautiful. He'd known that for a long time. It wasn't the first time he stared at her while she was dressed in white. When he first joined Aang, her, and everyone else he'd watch her spar in those white wrappings. Of course he looked and checked her out back then. How could he not? Her exotic dark skin, athletic body, and waterbending made it hard not to look. He just left it at the fact that, yes, Katara was pretty, but no other thought ever came of it.

He never let his eyes wander longer than they should, and he never let his imagination run rampant.

So why was it so hard not to do those things right now?

Shocks of pain shot through his chest in tandem with his rising heartbeat. Cursing the timing and his inability to calm down, he reached up and gripped his chest in frustration.

Instead of picking an outfit and redressing, Katara slowly turned her head to her nightstand; the one that had the glass flower on it. She picked up the figurine and ran her finger over it the same way he did a few minutes ago. It reminded him how he ended up in there in the first place. Frowning, he wished he could see her hidden expression and hear the thoughts running through her head.

Zuko jumped slightly when there was a knock at the door.

"Hey, it's me," came Sokka's muffled voice, "I'm coming in."

"Wait, don't! Not decent."

"Put some clothes on then."

Katara sighed and sat on the vanity chair, facing Zuko directly now. Holding it right below her chest, she kept her eyes on the flower. "Is there something you need?"

"I just came by to invite you to tea."

"Tea? Isn't it a little late for that?"

"Yeah, I guess. I was stopped in the hall and told about it on the way to my room just now. It's with the northern tribe. I thought you might want to come."

Katara froze and narrowed her eyes, then glared off to the side. "Not interested," she hissed.

"What?"

"I said not interested."

"Eh, okay. We'll be in that little room by the dining hall if you change your mind."

Sokka's steps disappeared down the hall and Katara immediately stood up and began pacing. She started muttering something under her breath and, despite his growing pain, Zuko raised an eyebrow in surprise when he realized she was cursing. He never heard her utter anything worse than the word 'darn', and was a little amused to hear such things coming from her.

Not paying attention, his eyes wandered to her chest as she walked back and forth, and he was rewarded with more intense jolts slicing through his heart.

He closed his eyes tight as a bead of sweat ran down the back of his neck. _'Shit. Not good.'_

Katara finally slowed and reached out to set the flower down on the vanity, but, in her haste, her wrist knocked against some of the things piled on there. A few round vials of perfume fell from the desk and scattered on the floor. As Katara was busy trying to grab a couple of them, one rolled across the room and stopped a foot away from where Zuko was hiding.

His eyes widened in a panic, and he held his breath when Katara spotted it.

 _'Not good!'_

Zuko tried to press his body further into the wall as she approached. She slowly picked up the vial, but instead of going back to where she was, she examined it and took interest in the fine writing. His heart was pounding furiously and if it weren't for the adrenaline, he probably would have fallen to his knees by now. It was so loud that he thought she would hear it easily against the silence of the room.

She closed her eyes, lowered the vial, and sighed again. However, they fluttered open as a look of surprise flashed through them. She tilted her head curiously and then leaned forward a few inches, sniffing the air.

No way. Could she smell him?!

Katara leaned back and brought the vile up to her nose. "Hm..." she mused, then turned around.

Zuko remembered how to breathe again, but controlling it at this point was impossible. His pants of pain were more audible than they should be. He heard rustling and turned to see her dressing finally. The less he saw of that suddenly alluring skin, the more his rationale came back to him.

Katara stood in front of the mirror as she tied a sash around her robe. With a sudden look of determination that came out of nowhere, she turned around and headed straight for the door. It slammed shut and her footsteps faded, but Zuko didn't dare move until it was completely silent.

His hand still clutched his heart as he stumbled out from behind the drape. Despite the white spots appearing in front of his vision, he didn't stop until he was outside and on the roof. He needed to calm down soon or-

Well, he wasn't sure what would happen if it kept going on, but at this rate, it just might kill him.

On the roof shingles, Zuko landed rather unceremoniously on his backside. Unable to care if guards or anyone else could see him, he hung his arms against his knees and lowered his head, trying with every ounce of his being to get the awful pain under control. He knew intense sparring and losing his temper could trigger it, but he never guessed getting excited over seeing a practically naked woman could do it; seeing Katara practically naked...

His face contorted into a grimace as a sense of shame came over him. That was not okay. Seeing that was not okay. Letting himself get carried away and reacting like that was _not okay_. He needed to calm down, go back to his room, and forget that ever happened.

Yet, despite his rational wishing as his heart started to slow and the pain died down, the images of what he saw burned through his thoughts. More than once, he tried to shove them out, but the memories of her hair, skin, and body would not leave him alone. Somewhere deep in his thoughts, too hidden to know for sure but making its way to the surface, a sense of curiosity grew.

Shaking his head, Zuko lifted it and ran a hand over his face. Now to the point of being able to move, he was about to pull himself up, but hesitated when his eyes met the sky.

Brilliant streaks of blue speckled with other colors stretched in every direction. They were back again, just like before.

It was an incredible view and would have captivated anyone within seconds, but for some reason, Zuko did not like the sight of them. It suddenly irritated him the way they slowly bent and dipped against each other. There were far more pressing things he needed to take care of than worry about the light show going on. He frowned and turned away uninterested, caring only to get where he was headed.

* * *

Katara ran her hand through her hair one more time before adjusting it properly, then sat down on the edge of the bed and began to retie her waist sash. She was ready for the day, but it wasn't one of her usual bright mornings. She was brimming with anger that hadn't dissipated since last night. Glowering at the wall, her mood became more turbulent as a memory popped into her thoughts again.

 _"Are you serious?" Sokka asked in disbelief._

 _"That's what I heard. I'm not lying or exaggerating with any of it."_

 _Her brother fell silent as he looked to the side in shock. Katara knew him well enough to recognize he was legitly surprised by the things she told him, but still, she had to be sure - "You're not involved, are you?" she asked._

 _"You really think I would go behind yours and Zuko's back like that?"_

 _"Well, no, I don't, but right now I don't know what to think. I trusted the people we're here with until I heard that. You're the only one I do trust right now."_

 _Sokka was quiet again and Katara started tapping her foot impatiently._

 _"A plot?" He muttered lowly to himself before he pinched the bridge of his nose. "What is going on around here?"_

 _"I don't know, but I'm not okay with any of it. I'm going in there to talk to them about it." She pointed an accusing finger to the pair of double doors down the hall; the ones the northern tribe and her own people were "having tea" behind. They were more than likely scheming instead._

 _"No, don't do that."_

 _"What? Why?"_

 _"Running in there and yelling at them is not going to help in this situation."_

 _"I'm not just going to sit around and wait for them to follow through with whatever they have planned!"_

 _"That's not going to happen, but listen to me for one second." He looked down at her with more solemnity in his eyes than she had seen in a long time. "You're smart and I trust you, Katara, but they were right about something. You are new here and you have no idea how things work. These people - when we're all here like this, it's not some black and white slate of good and bad."_

 _"Wait. Are you defending them?" she accused, feeling a little hurt by his words._

 _"No, I'm not."_

 _She shook her head with ire and walked right past him anyway. He quickly reached out and grabbed her upper arm, halting her in her tracks. "Sokka, let me go right now."_

"We need-" he bit his lip in contemplation, "we need to talk to the lead ambassador first; find out what's going on."

 _"I'm not waiting!"_

 _"Keep your voice down! If you confront them right now about it, it's going to cause more harm than good. We don't know what's going on, we don't know who's involved, and jumping in head first and accusing like that will probably isolate you from the problem."_

 _"That doesn't make any sense!"_

 _"This isn't the first time something like this has happened here!" She froze in surprise at the news. "You trust me, don't you?"_

 _"Yes, but-"_

 _"Then listen to what I'm saying. Do not go through those doors."_

For reasons she still couldn't understand, she listened to him.

It took nearly another hour of back and forth banter before she finally agreed to his strange wishes, but agree to them she did. Wait, listen, learn, and then make a move. That was his plan for handling it, and Katara couldn't stress enough to him how ridiculous she thought that was.

She understood her situation, she really did. She was new, green to the position put on her shoulders, and had zero clue as to how things worked here, but she could not understand how playing the game of secrecy was going to help.

She made a promise to her brother last night that she would wait, just like she made that stupid promise not to confront Zuko with whatever was going on with him, but her willpower to remain true to both things was crumbling by the second. It was just one secret after another going around here, and she was tired of it all. Last night was the last straw. If Sokka couldn't get his plan figured out _today_ , she would not sit on the sidelines.

And _Zuko_.

His 'secret illness' was not going to be a secret anymore. She didn't care if people were going to get upset with her. The moment she found him, she was going to drag him to a quiet room and not let him leave until he fessed up to what was going on.

Katara stormed into the hall with clenched fists and found the subject of her thoughts headed straight for her. She didn't know why he was in a guests quarters hall, but she didn't care. Her heart skipped a beat at the sight of him and she immediately rehearsed what she was planning on telling him, once again solidifying her determination to get an answer.

"Katara," Zuko started as if surprised, "I was hoping to find you."

"Oh?" she said as she crossed her arms, "I was looking for you too."

Zuko looked nervous about something, and when two servants and a guard passed them, he fidgeted slightly. Suddenly, he reached out and wrapped his arm around her to turn her around, then quickly started walking, ushering her to keep up with his hand on the small of her back. She stumbled slightly at the fast movement and turned to him in confusion.

"Can I speak to you?" he asked.

"Yes, but what are you doing?"

"I need to speak to you alone."

She didn't have time to answer as he opened her room door and walked in. Letting go of her, he made sure the door was shut all the way before fidgeting nervously with his hands.

She furrowed her brow at his very odd behavior. "Well, what did you want to talk to me about?"

Zuko froze as he stared into her eyes, completely unsure of what to say. All he could think about was getting into that room as fast as he could to confirm something he hoped was desperately not the case. He hadn't thought this far ahead and was beginning to regret coming to see her without a proper excuse. He stopped messing with his hand that felt a little too warm after touching her and averted his eyes. Memories of the previous night bombarded him all at once and his cheeks reddened slightly in embarrassment.

"I, uh, saw the lights were out again last night."

"I heard. I didn't see them this time, though."

"That's too bad," he said as he started to walk further into the room, his eyes now glued to the very curtain he was behind last night _while watching Katara undress_.

"Is that what you wanted to talk to me about?"

"Yes, I mean no." He reached the spot he was headed for and strained his eyes to look behind the drape without it looking too obvious. He couldn't focus at all on the current conversation. "How was your evening last night?"

"It could have been better."

"Mine, too. Have you left your room at all today?"

"Why do you want to know?"

"Just curious."

"…I went to the bath house this morning?"

Zuko felt the blood drain from his face when he finally got a full view of what he was looking at.

Nothing.

It was empty, just like when he first stepped behind it last night.

 _'Damn it!'_

"Zuko?" Katara asked.

Completely wide-eyed and not paying attention, he was taken off guard when he felt heat to the side of him. He looked down to see Katara leaning toward him staring at the spot he was looking with a confused frown.

Unnerved by his lost discretion, his current problem, and how close her chest was to him, his heart started beating too fast. He quickly took a step back and worked on calming himself down before he was hit by another attack.

Obviously not understanding why he was so interested in the area, she looked up at him. "What are you looking at?"

"Nothing."

"You're acting strange. Are you going to tell me what's on your mind or not?" she asked impatiently.

His eyes darted back to the empty area. "Why did you come so early?" he blurted.

He realized maybe that wasn't the best question to ask, but it was on his mind lately so it was as good as any. Besides, it may be his only shot at an answer because of his screw up.

He was hoping with all he had that a scroll would be sitting on the floor; the same one he broke into a records room to take, and one that somehow disappeared from here to his own room. He nearly lost it when he realized it was gone and where it may have been dropped. He already scoured the rooftops he trekked along and it was nowhere to be found. All that was left was Katara's room.

It was supposed to be here! If it wasn't, that could mean only one of two things. A maid must have found it while she was out earlier and turned it in, or Katara found it herself. If that was the case, he was going to have to ask her about it and no doubt have to give some sort of excuse for it being in her room in the first place. This was _not_ good.

"That's actually what I wanted to talk to you about." After a short, quiet moment, she sighed and spoke firmly, "Zuko, I know something's wrong with you."

He eyed her for a moment before turning around and looking out the balcony door. "What are you talking about?"

"You're sick, aren't you?"

That grabbed his attention completely and his previous thoughts dropped. The wound just below his chest suddenly throbbed against his skin. She couldn't possibly know about it. Is that what she meant? Did she somehow figure it out since being here?

"I don't know what you're talking about. I'm not sick."

"Don't lie to me!"

Her raised voice startled him. "I'm not lying. There's-"

"Enough! I know there's something going on. Don't tell me there isn't. I don't know what it is yet, but don't tell me you're fine!"

The air around them was tense to begin with, but now, with Zuko standing still and saying nothing, it took on a whole new level. The look of unwavering certainty was clear as crystal in her eyes. There was no more of a confirmation he needed; she knew something about it.

"What is it you think you know?" he asked, his tone taking on a dark edge.

"Almost nothing," she admitted, "That's why I want to ask you about it."

He shook his head. "It's nothing you need to worry about."

Medicines, healers, physical therapies, even a 'blessing' from a Fire Sage did absolutely nothing to help him. It was only natural to turn to the world's greatest healers when all else failed, but there was a reason he didn't go to her or another waterbender when it came to that point.

She helped him once before, but this was no longer some open wound she could patch up, or minor ache she could sooth. He may be lacking on knowledge of their culture, but he was very aware what waterbenders were capable of when it came to healing, even someone of her skill.

Nothing could be done for a scar. _Nothing_.

"Why would you say that?" she asked, taken aback, "Why are you lying to my face like that? Whatever it is, it's killing you, isn't it?"

Katara froze as she uttered the question and bit her lips in extreme worry. Zuko narrowed his eyes in suspicion at her choice of words and how familiar they sounded, ignoring the chill he got from them.

"Who told you?"

She hesitated. "It's why I'm here. I didn't come strictly as ambassador. I don't know who sent the letter, but my father received one not long before we came. I know it was authentic, though." She looked into his eyes. "We were asked to keep it a secret."

His eyes widened. "We? How many people know about this?"

"Most of us that came. The northern tribe knows too."

Zuko sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. The whole thing was a mess. A completely out of control, massive mess now. This had to be some sort of joke. The words she was telling him were his worst fear since this whole thing started.

Katara continued, "No one knows that I'm talking to you about it. Whoever sent the letter told everyone not to mention it, but I'm tired of all the secrets going on around here."

"I see," he said calmly, even though he was now livid inside. All he could think about was finding out who sent that damaging message. If only he hadn't lost that scroll, then he'd have his answer!

"I want to help you."

"You can't."

She blinked. "You haven't told me what's wrong with you yet."

He walked past her toward the door.

"Wait! Where are you going?"

"Away."

 _'Before I lose it,'_ mentally added as the faces of his 'trusted' advisors and generals came to mind.

"We are not done here!"

"Yes, we are," he said as he opened the door. Katara was following right on his heels and looked like she was about continue yelling, but the words that Zuko muttered next halted her midstep.

"I don't need your help, Katara."

* * *

Zuko was fuming as he stormed down the hall. People looked at him and bowed as he passed, but kept their distance otherwise. He wasn't even trying to hide that he was in a bad mood. Someone told Katara that he was sick. No, someone leaked the information to the _Water Tribes_ that he was sick. There was a damned good reason his problem was kept so secret. These vultures that call themselves politicians around here fed off situations like this. It was a very powerful weapon in the wrong hands.

It wasn't just here either. If word got out to the world he was sick, only negative consequences would follow.

"Fire Lord Zuko."

He turned his head at the mention of his name. Three of his generals along with a handful of others were gathered in the hall. Whatever it was, he was not in the mood to deal with it. There was only one thing he was interested in finding out right now.

"What is it?" he snapped.

"We would like to speak to you if you have a moment."

If it weren't for the abnormally large crowd, he would have kept walking dismissively. With a scowl, he walked toward them and followed them as they stepped into a large room.

"Please hurry with whatever this is. I have something I need to attend to."

"Of course, but this is concerning news."

One of the other's spoke up; a general he did not get along with very well. "It has come to our attention that one of the foreign diplomats has stolen military information."

"What? Who?"

"One of the Southern Water Tribe ambassadors. A maid found a military-grade scroll hidden in her room while she was cleaning. We confirmed that it was taken from a records room."

Zuko's frown instantly disappeared as his face paled. He was right. A maid picked it up, and she brought it to the worst people possible to take care of the situation. He could tell by the looks on all their faces they completely believed this was a criminal act. In their eyes, Katara was now a felon and an enemy to the Fire Nation.

"We've just sent orders to the guards to have her reprimanded."

Zuko's eyes widened. "I want you to stop them from taking her immediately!"

All three generals stared at him confused.

"Did you hear me?!" He didn't wait for an answer and turned to a few guards. "Stop those men from arresting the southern ambassador!"

The guards complied immediately and took off running. Zuko hoped they hadn't already gotten to her. He ran a hand over his face, regretting the massive mess he created.

The rebellious general spoke up, unhappy. "What do you mean? She is a criminal who has stolen information from the Fire Nation military! She should be sentenced to death for war crimes!"

"The war is over you fool!" he yelled as he matched the glare the general was giving him.

As the tension in the air heated up, Zuko was ready to let loose on the man, but a sudden familiar pain shot through his chest. _'No, not now!'_ he inwardly pleaded. Stepping back slightly, he tried with every fiber in his body to hide what was happening from the men in front of him. He got himself too worked up. He should have known this would happen!

With his hesitation, the general yelled back and all Zuko could do was glare at him. "How dare you call me a fool! You would rather protect a Water Tribe woman than defend the honor of your country?!" The other two generals looked at their comrade in complete surprise. A dangerous line was just crossed, but Zuko could only listen. "It is a dishonorable and shameful thing to do!"

There was no greater insult to throw at him. Everyone in the room, including the guards, had their mouths open in shock. The general must have been waiting for some sort of response from him, but when none came his face began to change. After a moment, he must have realized what he said and to whom he said it to because he started to look more nervous than fired up.

"You are dismissed," Zuko said darkly.

The first thing Zuko was going to do was get rid of him. Politics be damned. No one, especially his general, speaks to him like that. The general offered a pathetic, obviously half-hearted apology which Zuko ignored. The man hesitantly left the room and uneasiness settled in the air. To keep himself from getting more worked up and to curb the pain in his chest, he forced himself to turn to the other two generals. "The scroll was in her room because I left it there on accident."

"You…left it there?"

He knew exactly how this was going to sound to everyone, and trying to explain it any other way was a lost cause. This would be the biggest scandal in all his family history. What other reason would the Fire Lord be doing in the private room of a well-known politician? Taking a detour to jump on the roof? Like anyone would actually believe that...

The least he could do was rid the tag 'felon' now attached to her name. As for the new word it would attach to her, he'd see to the rumors and the punishment for those who spread them later.

"I was with her last night, and I left the scroll without realizing it."

Some listening in the background exchanged looks. Zuko tried to ignore it.

"I see," he said slowly, "Then she will be cleared of all suspicion."

The third general who kept quiet the whole time finally spoke up, "But, my lord, why did you take the scroll in the first place? It was not signed out which means you were the one that broke in and took it."

"I have my reasons, General Xuehin." His voice faltered slightly and sweat began to well up on the back of his neck from the wretched pain tearing him up. "I still want that scroll. Who did the maid give it to?"

"It was turned in to me," said General Xuehin.

"Give it to me."

"I'm afraid I don't have it. It's elsewhere."

"Send someone for it."

"It is being kept as evidence, and will be unavailable until all of this clears over."

"It's already cleared over," Zuko said sternly, "and that was a command not a request."

He was silent for a moment before telling one of his men to go fetch it. As they waited, Zuko tried to control is labored breathing while sweat began to run down his face in beads. He looked awful and it was obvious the generals could tell. He needed to leave soon before-

"Are you alright?" asked Xuehin.

Zuko met the man's amber eyes and narrowed his own.

"I'm fine."

Neither of them looked convinced. The other general looked at him with uncertainty before Xuehin continued slowly, "I know what's happening to you. I've known for a while now."

Zuko couldn't muster the energy to argue with him the same way he did with Katara. Before he spoke, he couldn't help but notice the other general didn't look surprised by his words at all. "How could you possibly know?"

"Rumors reach high places in this palace. I'm sorry I haven't told you."

Now they knew too? This day could not get any worse! "Don't worry about me. Just tend to your duties."

"Yes, my lord."

When the men finally returned, they handed the scroll to Zuko. Not wasting any time, he pulled it open and looked through the information he caused a mess to get. He saw the messages to the Water Tribes, and the name of the man that sent them. He started getting worked up again and had to remind himself to calm down or the pain would only get worse. It wasn't working, though. He was about to roll it back up, but noticed other messages on there; others that did not have his seal but someone else's.

"General Xuehin, why were these messages sent out without my permission?" He turned the scroll to the other man.

"They were trivial matters. Concerning your health lately, I did not want to burden you with them."

There it is. The reason why this was supposed to be kept a secret from EVERYONE. His heart hammered painfully in his chest and a sound came from his throat that sounded like a choke on his words.

"Don't ever do this again. All of these messages are to come through me. Do you understand?!" he yelled hoarsely.

"Yes, my lord. I'm sorry. It will not happen again."

"Leave."

They did. Everyone walked out of the room leaving Zuko alone with the guards. Before he disappeared completely, Xuehin glanced at him one last time over his shoulder, eyeing him with an expression Zuko didn't know what to make of.

When he was left to himself, he looked back down at the scroll. Another flash of anger shot through him along with a fresh slice of pain.

 _'More secrets!'_

He chucked the scroll as hard as he could across the room, and it bounced off the wall then rolled across the floor. A white haze blocked his vision and he reached up and tried to swat it away. For a second, his mind emptied completely and he felt a rush of air all around him before something caught his fall. The moment he was lying on the ground, he got his vision back, but not his mind. Trying to pull out the searing hot knife that was surely thrust into his heart, he reached up and clutched his chest.

"Go get some water!" Shen's voice barked.

Blurry figures danced in front of his eyes as his captain and others stared down at him. He expected the pain to lessen now that he was still; now that he couldn't think properly, but nothing was happening. The pain was only growing more intense. Zuko shut his eyes hard.

 _'I can't breathe.'_

* * *

There was on odd air filling the palace today. It was thick and held a level of uncertainty that wasn't normal. The mood was very unwelcome; far different than what Katara felt when she first stepped through the massive doors. Then again, maybe it was here to begin with and she was too ignorant to notice.

Was this what being an ambassador and dignitary was about? All this sneaking around, even from each other? Was this the sort of naivety that man accused her of?

Backstabbing. Lies.

'' _I don't need your help, Katara.''_

Secrets.

Katara gripped the railing hard, her eyes cast down on the people moving below, but not paying attention to them at all. Zuko's words stung her worse than she expected them to. He shut her down without an ounce of trust in his eyes as if she were just some stranger instead of a friend.

She dealt with stubbornness before, but when he turned away from her like that, she couldn't follow him. The complete and utter distrust in his voice as he said those words froze her feet to the floor.

Betrayed – that's the only way she could describe how she felt. By her people. By Zuko when his cold tone and words pushed her away.

As if summoned by her thoughts, Zuko appeared in her line of vision in the foyer below her. He was surrounded by guards and being lead slowly across the floor. His usual straight and stoic posture was replaced with hunched shoulders and a downturned head.

Katara wanted to leave, feeling the air around her take on a whole new level of unwelcome.

She stepped back from the railing a little, not wanting him to spot her and look at her with those untrusting eyes. The only thing that stopped her from turning away to continue wandering through the palace, was a glimmer of light reflecting off his forehead. At the same time she realized it was sweat, she also noticed how ghostly pale his face was.

A northern ambassador intercepted his path and she narrowed her eyes at him. He smiled at Zuko and looked so calm, like he wasn't harboring dangerous intentions for him. She couldn't hear them at all, but after a moment, Zuko turned to his guards escorting him. They backed up about ten feet and waited.

When Zuko turned back to the other man, he got closer and spoke lowly for some time. If it was possible for Zuko's face to look any paler, it just did. His eyes widened and he dropped his head slightly as the ambassador continued. When Zuko's face changed to one of shock, Katara got closer to the railing to get a better view, wondering what on earth was going on.

After the man briefly put a hand on Zuko's armored shoulder, he offered a bow and left.

Zuko stayed frozen to his spot for a long moment. When his head finally lifted, his amber eyes landed right on Katara. Surprised, she was caught in his gaze for a tense moment, but her eyes narrowed again and her lips slowly turned into a frown. With a huff, she turned away from him and continued on her way without another glance.


	8. His Keeper

A/N: Thank you everyone for the reviews! Enjoy the chapter. It was fun to write, and it sets up so much for what is to come!

Disclaimer: No own, no sue.

* * *

 _Chapter 8_

 **His Keeper**

...

"Your title as royal advisor will be removed immediately."

The various eyes in the room slowly moved to the man kneeling before the wall of flames. He kept his head downward and didn't react with a flinch or any sort of gesture at hearing the news. He merely nodded calmly without a word.

Zuko lost his composure in bewilderment, not expecting that reaction at all. He gave a few moments for him to start talking, explaining, or anything other than wait in collected silence.

In his hesitation, the others lining the room looked back to Zuko and he straightened up again in response. They all waited for him to continue on to a lecture, listing his misdeeds and punishments; as was tradition for a situation like this. If Zuko was crueler, he would do just that and challenge him to an Agni Kai. Fire Lords in the past tended to favor fighting when their honor as a ruler was trodden on.

Some of his ancestors were of an even more merciless nature.

Few in number and viciously ruthless, they would execute the former advisor in this very room where he stood. As a child, Zuko would hear stories of their cold amber eyes narrowing, the wall of fire rising with rage, and hands that would burn to death those that defied them without hesitation.

It was an image Zuko fought against. He worked hard every day to put down the fear people had as they saw in him the shadow of the terrible tyrannical family he was a part of. He would not turn into the likes of his forefathers. Ozai, Azulon, Sozin, and many more. None of them.

The flames before him diminished until they disappeared into tiny wisps of smoke. Sighing, Zuko stood from his throne and walked down the steps. With a subtle wave to his guards, signaling for them not to follow, he walked past the still-kneeling man.

"Walk with me," he said.

He complied to his request and both of them stepped into the hall away from the crowded room full of judgmental stares. When the doors were shut, silence filled the air and was only broken by the soft padding of their footsteps.

"I will pack my things and leave the capital tonight."

"I'm not banishing you."

"Zuko, you know as well as I-"

"I'm _not_ banishing you," he repeated with force, then ran a hand over his face. "I'm creating a new position among the staff. I need a consulting scholar. The spot is yours, if you want it."

He didn't answer back, and his face betrayed nothing. Instead of demanding an answer, Zuko cut straight to the point of bringing him out there. With an accusing tone, he said, "Of all the names I thought I'd find on that scroll, yours was not one of them." Another nod and no attempt to explain himself. Zuko frowned. "You're taking this very calmly."

"I knew the consequences of my actions. I knew from the start that doing things the way I did would garner more attention than it should, but it was the only way."

Garner attention it did. Zuko may have kept the reason itself a secret, but word spread fast that one of the royal advisors betrayed the Fire Lord. No matter how hard he tried, there were just some rumors that could not be contained, especially when the council, the generals, his other handful of advisors, and many more important people caught wind of what was going on.

The man continued, "I knew it would force you to take away my title."

"I don't like making you an example," Zuko growled.

"You had no choice. If I were to get away with something like this, it would be the first snowflake in an avalanche. You need to maintain stability around here."

"You're assuming the worst," Zuko argued, even though he knew what the man was saying was accurate. He didn't like that the roles felt switched. Zuko should be the one solidifying his decision, not doubting it.

"The worst is what will happen if you don't send me away."

Zuko clenched his jaw and an uncomfortable silence fell between them. He was angry, but a small sense of dejection began to mix into the emotion.

"May I speak to you one last time as an advisor?"

"I should say you just lost the right to do that, but," his voice lowered, "go ahead."

The man stopped abruptly and Zuko slowed his pace to a halt when he noticed. His brown eyes narrowed and he flashed a look that Zuko had only seen a handful of times on him. It was frustration, and none of it was held back.

"You are one of the most reckless men I have ever met and your pride is going to get you killed someday."

Zuko blinked at him, stunned.

"We have tried everything to find a cure for your illness. We exhausted every option we knew of; all except going to the water tribes, something you absolutely refused to do."

"They can't heal a scar."

"You say that so surely, yet we don't know if that is the problem in the first place. They can do things that no one else in this world can – things that many find impossible. For all we know, they _can_ help you."

"You don't think I looked into it a thousand times?" he snapped, "And don't act like you believe it's anything other than what it is. I know it has something to do with this scar. I know it! I've read every scroll, every book, and spoke to every scholar there was about healing through waterbending, and I know you have too. I didn't go to them because I know they can't help-!"

"What you did was give up!"

Zuko scowled and narrowed his eyes, but his anger faltered. He looked away, suddenly feeling crushed by the other's condemning gaze.

The man continued, "I remember the day it happened, almost the very moment. I could see it in your eyes when you gave up. Others could too. You _gave up_ and resigned yourself to your fate and stopped asking for help. You did not reach out to the waterbenders because you doubt them, you did it because of fear."

The words were like ice in his veins. He wanted to deny it with a yell, call him a fool, and storm off, but when he opened his mouth, he could not find the will to answer. The glare on the man's face faltered and, with a sad sigh, he too looked to the side.

"So many believe that peace for the entire world rests on the shoulders of the Avatar. All throughout history, that was very true, but it is not the case in this day. It rests on yours, Zuko. Without a wife, without an heir – if you were to die, everything that we fought so hard for would collapse back into the chaos it once was. It is you, not Aang, that is keeping this fragile peace together."

It was a haunting statement, one Zuko didn't want to fully agree with, but also one that held too much truth to deny. He knew how devastating it would be if he died. He was weighed down by that constant, silent reminder every day of his reign.

"In my younger years, when I acted as Iroh's advisor during the siege of Ba Sing Se, I saw the fields of fire. They were not stories of glory that are often told here. I was with him when we witnessed the horrors of war. Men on both sides laid bleeding and dying as they called out the names of their loved ones in fear," his tone cracked, "I stood next to him the night your cousin took his last breath."

Zuko swallowed and hung his head.

"I am terrified we may see that again, but that is not the only reason I went behind your back to bring the waterbenders here. Iroh believes in you and it's not just because you are his family. He sees in you something that can change this world, and protect it from the bloodshed we all grew accustomed to. After watching you over the years, I do too.

"When your uncle asked me to advise you, I agreed and promised I would do my best to keep you safe, even if it is from yourself."

Zuko kept his head downward and felt a sting of shame because of his last sentence. He didn't have it in him to disagree.

He walked up to Zuko and put a hand on his shoulder. "Reach out to the water tribes, Zuko. I know the damage of what word getting out about your illness can cause, but it is nothing compared to the value of your life. I do not want to watch another one of Iroh's sons die. Let them try to help you."

Zuko finally met his eyes and nodded slowly in defeat. The man stepped back from him and he suddenly felt an overwhelming sense of guilt. "I'm sorry."

"There is nothing to forgive, but for the sake of those that love and care about you, please do not let pride be the reason you find an early grave."

That was the last thing the man said before he offered a good night and continued on, leaving Zuko alone in the hallway with his turbulent thoughts.

It was a crushing feeling to have his façade of denial ripped away from him like that. He needed to hear those things, as painful as it was. His former advisor was right. There was a point when the fear got to him. It was a moment when he realized all his options were gone and the path ahead was no longer certain.

In the back of his mind, he knew he was going to die. There would come a day, like that horrible evening a few days ago, when the pain would not leave him no matter how hard he tried to calm down. One day, he would not be able to stop it and it would claim his life as a result.

The idea of it terrified him. He wasn't afraid to die fighting for something he believed in, but to die because something inside of him was slowly killing him? He'd go with so many regrets. He wasn't ready for a death like that, and never would be.

It was fear that built that wall of denial and it was fear that made him withdraw. The helping hands reaching out to him eventually contained nothing but empty promises for Zuko.

Hope was something he didn't have. That is, until recently.

He slowly reached into his pocket and pulled something out. The reflection of the light from the hallway glinted off the glass vial containing the most precious water on earth. So small and so fragile, he could crush it in an instant if he gripped too hard.

For a long time, he thought of this water and the potential it had to help him. It never turned into anything more than a brief thought, though. It wasn't something you just asked the Northern Water Tribe for. The precious spirit oasis water wasn't something someone from the Fire Nation could be simply given, or anyone else in the world for that matter.

That's why he was in shock when the ambassador stopped him in the foyer and handed it to him. That's why he pulled out the vile every chance he was alone to stare at it in wonder. Recently, Zuko let something happen that he would not bring himself to do in the past.

He began to hope.

The ambassador told him that all their waterbenders were at his disposal, each of them willing to help. They were the best the northern tribe had to offer - the most skilled and respected healers in the world. Zuko believed him to the fullest, but he kept quiet when the man told him that.

He carefully wrapped his hand around the vile.

The only person he trusted with this water was Katara. If anyone was going to use it on him, it had to be her. He only had one shot at this, and he couldn't bring himself to put his trust in a stranger no matter how skilled they were. She saved him once before from his wound, maybe she could do it again.

Yet, even with his trust in her and the possible cure in his hands, he was still afraid.

If it failed, he may as well start digging his own grave.

* * *

Katara eyed the servant she was following. The halls were practically empty at this time of night and she wondered what Zuko could possibly want to see her for so late in the evening. Odd, since he stormed out of her presence the last time she saw him, more or less telling her to stay away from him. Staying away wasn't something she was going to do, though.

He'd probably yell at her again. Fine.

He'd probably continue to deny it and send her away. Fine.

He could reject her help over and over again no matter how many times she pushed him. _Fine._

Giving up was something she refused to do. Getting a proper answer from him was something she fully intended to do, but after being treated like that, being around Zuko was not an appealing prospect. At least for tonight, all she wanted was to be alone with her thoughts before she went and stirred the pot even more.

The man she was following wouldn't tell her why Zuko wanted to see her, much to her irritation. Eventually, he led her to a more secluded side of the palace, one she had not been to before. The longer they walked, the less it looked like a palace and more like a mansion. The change was intriguing, but she wasn't interested in staring at the decoration as they passed, not tonight.

Their walk finally halted in front of some doors. The man knocked, and she heard Zuko's voice on the other side say something. The servant opened the door and gestured for her to walk in as he held it open. Katara hesitated stubbornly at first, but eventually did walk in to find a very, very large bedroom.

Though, she wondered if she could even call it that. In the deep brown and red colors of the room, a massive bed was the center focus, surrounded by various couches and tables. There was an additional room at the far side that appeared to be a grand sitting area which opened up to a gardened balcony. Expensive gold-clad art filled every corner of the area.

Fire Nation and incredible luxury. This had to be Zuko's bedroom.

Zuko walked up to her, dressed in casual attire for once. She didn't offer him a greeting and just looked at him blankly and waited for whatever he had to say.

With her stiff posture and hostile glint in her blue eyes, he could immediately sense the annoyance coming from her. "I'm sorry I pulled you here so late. I was wondering if I could have a word with you?"

"Well, you've already 'summoned' me here. It's a little too late to ask that. What do you need?" she asked with folded arms.

He deserved her anger right now. He _did_ storm out the last time they talked. However, that didn't mean he was okay with that snippy attitude of hers. Biting back his argumentative urge that Katara was better at bring out more than anyone else lately, he gestured for the servant to leave.

Once the door was shut and they were alone, he looked back down at her. She was wearing casual summer clothes like his own and the robe she was wearing was a little tighter than her usual. The bottom of it went down to just below her knees and was slit on each side, revealing her bronze colored legs.

He was immediately distracted by the display of skin and slightly curious about the rest of her thighs. However, he didn't need his imagination to fill in the details, already knowing what her legs and the rest of her backside looked like.

Embarrassed, he tore his eyes away from her to keep them from wandering to other places, and forced his attention to her face. He specifically did not go to her room in order to avoid this kind of discomfort.

He sighed and shook his head. _'Focus!'_

"I'm ready to tell you the truth," he said, getting straight to the point.

"The truth?"

"You wanted to know what was going on with me, didn't you?"

"Yes, but you made it clear you wanted me out of your business."

"I've changed my mind. Now I want you in it."

She tapped her fingers against her arm. "Why tell me now of all times?"

"Because now you need to know."

"How convenient."

He pinched the bridge of his nose to stop himself from snapping completely at the infuriating woman in front of him. "Listen, I know I can be stubborn and difficult to be around, but I _am_ sorry about what I said." He lowered his voice, "I'm sorry it's you I've taken my frustrations out on a lot lately."

She looked surprised by his apology. His sincerity must have done what he hoped because she glanced off to the side and muttered, "I forgive you."

He hesitated, rubbing the back of his neck, and a little unsure how to start. "I need your help."

Zuko's quiet words and drawn face shook Katara's will to be upset and found it shrinking by the second even though she'd already forgiven him. "Okay..."

"I brought you here because I don't want anyone else to know. Again, I'm sorry about the hour."

"It's fine, and you can trust me not to tell anyone."

"I know."

He didn't say anything else and the room fell silent. Katara fidgeted slightly as the quiet stretched on, but, eventually, he began to tell her about the secret she traveled across the ocean for. He told her of the pain in his chest and how it started out small and would show up once every few months to the point where it was almost an everyday occurrence and much, much worse. She listened patiently the whole time.

"I don't know why it's happening more frequently. I've tried every known medicine and healing technique and nothing has worked. Nothing has helped the pain either. It's only getting worse."

"Do you know what caused it?" she asked concerned.

"Yeah. Azula," he said bitterly. "Do you remember the day of Sozin's comet?"

She looked down to the very spot on his chest he was struck by his sister. The wound that almost killed him and the one Katara healed just in time.

"How could I forget?"

"The pain is in my chest, but I know it's because of this scar. I was hoping you'd be willing to take a look at it. I don't know if anything will come of it, but..."

She continued to stare at his chest before taking a breath and looking up at him. She would have reveled in the relief of finally knowing what was happening to him, but she couldn't. If what he said was true, and it was that particular scar causing the damage, that meant whatever she did to heal him in the first place was not good enough. It meant she missed something and suffered because of it.

"Can I see it?"

He didn't answer and started pulling off the outer robe he was wearing and then the shirt he wore underneath. When the pale skin of his chest hit the light, Katara was momentarily surprised by what she saw. Large, defined muscle covered every inch of his torso; so different from what he had as a teenager. Distracted by it, her eyes wandered every inch of his exposed skin.

 _'His size really wasn't because of his outfits,'_ she briefly thought.

He dropped the shirt in his hand and stood waiting. She stopped staring and her cheeks reddened slightly. Clearing her throat, she looked back at the spot she meant to look at in the first place. It was bigger than she remembered and it _looked_ painful, even after all these years.

She imagined for a moment what that scar would look like on her because that's where it would have been if Zuko hadn't taken that bolt instead of her. That is, if she could even survive such a thing. She wasn't foolish enough to blame herself, but she couldn't help but feel that he was going through this pain partly because of her.

She walked up to him and reached out to the reddened skin. However, her hand halted midair. She knew her abilities and what waterbenders were capable of when it came to healing, but a scar? A scar like this...

She touched the rough skin lightly. Zuko sucked in a breath and his hands bound into fists at his side. She waved her other hand and pulled a small stream of water from the sash on her waist; something she always kept with her just in case. She filled her hand with it and touched his skin again.

It only took five seconds to know what was going on with him and she pulled back instantly in shock at just how bad it was.

He must have seen the look on her face. "What is it?"

"It's bad," she nearly whispered. She couldn't bring herself to say anymore because she knew what type of wound this was, and this was not something she could help him with. There was not a waterbender in the world that could heal this. A lump formed in her throat as she thought about it and what it meant for Zuko.

"Tell me," he said almost desperately before he calmed down, "please."

"There's-" she faltered, "There's scar tissue growing around your heart. You were right. It's coming from the scar."

Zuko swallowed and bit his lip. "Is there anything you can do?"

"I know how to treat something like this, but there's so much..."

She could do it if it were smaller, _immensely_ smaller than what this was. Never had she seen it wrapped around someone's heart like a poisonous vine like this was. She knew it was a fool's errand to try, but the look of desperation in Zuko's amber eyes made her attempt to swallow her hesitation.

With determination, she put her hand back on him to try, but before she could start, he lightly grabbed her wrist. "Wait."

He reached into his pocket and pulled something out. When he opened his palm to her, Katara's eyes widened at the vile he was holding, knowing exactly what it was. She put the water back into her pouch and took the vial from him. It was this same life-saving water that kept Aang from death in the past.

"Where did you get this?" she asked.

"The northern tribe brought it. An ambassador gave it to me not too long ago." She looked up into his eyes and he stared right back into hers. "He said they brought their most skilled healers to use it, but...you're the only one I trust with this."

Her chest warmed at the words, and she lightly gripped the vial in her hand.

"Will it help?" he asked.

"I don't know, honestly. We don't actually know exactly what spirit water is capable of, but if there's anything to put hope in, it's this. I was still going to try, but regular water wouldn't have done anything."

"I know. I could see it on your face."

She smiled at him apologetically and hope blossomed in her.

Zuko's eyes were fixed on her as she touched and studied his scar again. He generally didn't like people touching him in the first place, and especially not his scars. Though, her warm hand lightly caressing his damaged skin was making him feel anything but uncomfortable. Out of anyone in the world, Katara was probably the only one that could do this and not make him want to back up.

For the past few hours, he expected this moment to be raked with nervousness, but, oddly enough, he was calm. She was hopeful, and that was enough to put him at ease with what was going on. Her eyes were cast downward to his chest, and his own lingered on her contemplative lips. He was suddenly aware of more than just the warmth of her hand. Her body heat mixing with his.

"Do you want me to try right now?"

"The sooner the better."

"Okay," she said with slight uncertainty in her voice. She popped the cap from the vial brought the water out to hover in her hand. "I've healed injuries like this before. They were barely the size of a drop of water, but it's known to cause a lot of pain. This could be worse."

"I don't care."

"I don't think you understand. This is-" She was growing more hesitant by the second. "I don't want to kill you because of the pain."

"Hey," he said to get her attention. She looked at him. "Don't say that. That's not something I want to hear right now."

She bit her lip.

"I trust you, Katara."

She stared at him for a moment before sighing, then nodded with determination. "Are you ready?"

"Yes."

He braced himself as the water in her palm lit up. He felt something cold and not a second later, a fierce jolt of pain shot through his chest. It was so intense that he actually lost his balance and stumbled forward right into Katara. She stopped him from falling over completely and taking her down with him all while managing to hold the water still.

He regained his balance, still somewhat clinging onto her and out of breath with sweat beginning to surface all over him. It _could be_ painful? That was the worst thing he ever felt in his life!

"I'm sorry! I can stop if it's too much."

"Don't worry about it, but I think I should sit down for this."

"Okay..." she said, uncertain.

Zuko walked over to the bed and sat down. Katara did the same and faced him, scooting close to him. When she didn't move, he reassured her and told her to keep going. Her watered fingertips touched him again and he braced himself for what was going to be the worst pain of his life.

* * *

Katara twisted a rag, draining the excess water into the bowl and turned back to Zuko who was lying down on the large bed. She put the rag against his forehead and wiped at the sweat that formed. He was still out and the only thing that kept her from panicking was that he was still breathing.

She managed not to kill him, and the precious water did what she hoped it would but to say it was easy would be a blatant lie. It was hard not to stop when she saw the pain it was causing him as he clung to her with tightened eyes, trying not to scream. She was lucky to finish before her determination broke. He passed out near the end before she was able to get to the worst of it, which she was grateful for.

His eyes were still closed, but Zuko was going to be fine. Now, if only he'd just wake up…

She set the rag aside and turned back to him to watch the slow rise and fall of his bare chest.

' _Foolish man.'_

If he came to her earlier about what was happening to him, back when it started, it wouldn't have gotten this bad. She was the one that saved him from his wound in the first place, he should have known to come to her first.

Her eyes roamed from the scar on his chest to the one on his neck to the one surrounding his eye. She had touched all of those scars, and was familiar with the coarseness of each of them.

However, now that she thought about it, she realized she didn't actually know what his skin felt like. Other than his scars, she had no idea. She debated something for a moment, then slowly leaned over him and hesitantly reached out, cupping his jaw in her hand.

She didn't know what she was expecting, but aside from the coarseness of his shaved skin, it was soft. It was also warmer than she expected. Instead of pulling her hand back, her thumb started caressing his jaw instead. He looked so calm and vulnerable while he slept; nothing like the regal lord he was while awake. Her chest felt tight, but not out of worry this time.

Katara let her thumb run across his skin for a moment longer before he suddenly stirred in his sleep. His head turned and leaned into her touch, and she quickly pulled her hand away in response. His eyes slowly opened and stared at the ceiling before moving to her.

She smiled at him, relieved he was finally awake. He looked at her like he didn't fully understand what was going on, but after blinking a few times, he quickly sat up. She grabbed his shoulder. "Woah, slow down."

"What happened?"

"You passed out. Don't get up just yet."

He complied and sat still, but was frantic as he reached up and grabbed his chest.

"Did it work?"

She nodded and handed him a glass of water. Zuko took it in complete surprise. He almost didn't believe her.

Years of his illness tied him down, and now it was just...gone. In one night, with one vial of water, and a woman he trusted for the job. It seemed too simple an answer to give him after what he went through to find a solution.

"How do you feel?" she asked.

"I feel fine. I'm sorry I passed out on you."

"I'm sorry it hurt so bad that you did."

He shrugged and took a sip of the water.

"Zuko, there's something you should know."

He froze, not liking the downcast tone of voice and her lack of eye contact.

"We're lucky that this fixed the problem for now, but..." she hesitated a moment, "it's not a cure. You'll have to have a waterbender treat this at least once a year, or it'll start growing around your heart again. As long as it doesn't get as bad as it was, you won't need spirit oasis water."

He looked down. A cure sounded too good to be true since the beginning. Granted, he was incredibly grateful for the worst of it to be gone, but now it was a shackle he'd carry for the rest of his life. However, he'd gladly take it over the alternative and that's why he wasn't as disappointed as Katara seemed to be.

"I'm sorry I couldn't do more."

"Hey," he said as he nudged her shoulder. "Don't apologize. You did more for me than anyone else." He turned and swung his legs over the bedside, now sitting right next to her. "I don't care if I have this as a crutch for the rest of my life. The worst of it is over, and that's what matters."

She offered him a small, reassured smile.

"I owe you a lot for this, Katara."

She looked down at the scar then slowly reached out and touched it again. Like before, when her fingertips brushed against his skin, his heart sped up. She looked thoughtfully at it, like she was getting some sort of closure from touching it. Zuko was more focused on how close she was to him, and her distracting body heat.

"You don't owe me anything," she said, "but maybe a smile from you here and there would make up."

He nodded, and did offer her a small smile. She pulled her hand away from him and he found it easier to breathe when she did.

He looked into her eyes, "I'm about to ask one more thing of you."

"I'm already planning for the trips. Don't worry, I'll be here, or maybe you could visit the Southern Pole once in a while."

Satisfied, he didn't say anything more. He was tied to this crutch for the rest of his life, but now he was also tied to Katara's care. It made things even out a little bit more. Besides, she was the only one he wanted to go to for this. Seeing her more often would be nice...

Zuko was staring at Katara and didn't realize it until her eyes flashed to his, catching him. Both of them looked away, and she pulled out the now empty vial. "It was an incredibly kind gift from the northern tribe. I don't know anyone other than Aang their spiritual leader has given this to."

She really was surprised because of what had been going on. To give him such an incredible gift seemed counterproductive to whatever plot was going on.

On that thought, she turned to Zuko with uncertainty on her face. If she told him about it and they found out, they'd never trust her again. Though, her loyalty was closer to Zuko than it was the Northern Tribe right now.

"It is. I owe them a lot, too."

"Zuko," she said as she ran her finger over the crescent moon design on the vile, "there's something you should know."

Zuko waited patiently as she hesitated, trying to work up the nerve to tell him. When she told him about what she heard and who was involved, he didn't interrupt her. His face remained stoic even when she brought up the fact that they were going to force him into something. There was a hard frown on his lips, but he didn't seem surprised at all. The hardest part was telling him that the south was involved too - her own people.

When she finished, he looked away and she thought he was upset with her. He eventually reached out and lightly took the vial from her hand, then held it up in the air to study it. "I should have known," he said dully, "I fell into their trap perfectly."

"What do you mean?"

He gestured to the vial he held. "This is what they're going to use."

"That doesn't make sense. Why would they give it to you now and not after you agreed to whatever they want?"

"Because they knew I'd reject those stakes. It's already too late. I played right into their hands by using this," he sighed and leaned back slightly. "Now I owe them a favor and if I don't agree to whatever they're going to ask, it's going to hurt relations."

"You say that like it's happened before."

"It has. Politics isn't some walk in the park. There's always something like this going on," he said bitterly.

Katara eyed the vial still in his hand, but found herself more interested in what he just said. It sounded too negative to be real. "It's not that I don't believe you, but I can't see how this happens all the time. How can you achieve anything with that level of distrust?"

"Money and power," he said simply. "That's the currency in diplomatic talk. As long as you trust that someone will give you those things, the system works."

"Sokka and I are diplomats..."

He blinked and looked away. "You're right. Sorry. That was a very negative explanation. I know there's friendship among people, but maybe I just don't see it as much anymore."

"So the solution to the problem would be to have more friends."

"That's a very simple way of putting it."

She thought for a moment. "Have you thought about trying to make more friends?"

He reached up and rubbed the scar on his neck without realizing it. When Katara saw it, her face fell.

"That's easier said than done. Besides, I've already ruined that chance for me here."

"What do you mean?"

He sighed. "It's not just foreign diplomats this happens with. Most of the generals and admirals here don't like or trust me."

"Aang told me you replaced most of them that were loyal to your father."

"I did, but there was a fine line I couldn't cross with that. If I did, there would have been a civil war."

"That's terrible that none of them trust you. Don't they want peace?"

"To them, there's no honor in having that high of a station in the military in times of peace. Not all of them are like that. In fact, more of them are okay with the ceasefire than not. The problem is, most of the ones I do trust are scattered everywhere but here."

Katara fidgeted with her hands for a moment. "You're keeping all the ones you don't trust here, aren't you?"

"Yeah."

"So you've purposely surrounded yourself by people you can't trust," she stated. "Zuko, that's a terrible idea. No wonder you're so distant with everyone."

He lightly laughed without a trace of humor. She was exactly right, but she was also very wrong. "I have to keep them where I can see them; where I can control them. They don't have the ability or means to scheme without me knowing about it when they're so close. For now, it's the only way to keep the peace until they give up their old ambitions."

"You're sacrificing your happiness just to keep others satisfied."

Now he was annoyed. Did she not listen to a word he just said? "This again? It's not like I want to do this, Katara. This place is toxic as is and then you throw in other nobles and foreign dignitaries and this place becomes a viper pit."

He tossed the vile to the side of him and continued. "That's why I wasn't surprised by what you told me. This is just business as usual."

"It doesn't sound like a place you can call home."

"Right now, no, it's not. The capital, no, the palace I should say, it's-"

"…it's what?"

He sighed. "Let me put it this way, anyone who has any ambition for power or money – this is the place they try to get to. Fire Nation politicians will eat each other alive just have some sort of influence here."

She leaned back and Zuko's eyes briefly ran down her chest before he looked away and scowled.

"Scheming and being in constant competition for power," she mused, "It's not right."

"You can't tell me none of this happens in the southern tribe."

"It doesn't, actually. Everyone works hard to improve things. Most of the leadership is close. I know there's trust. There are still secrets, but it's not as suffocating a place as what you just described."

"You have no idea how lucky you are then. It's always been like this here. I'd do anything to have that."

"You can start by not sending everyone you trust away."

What was this? Was Katara's new favorite past time lecturing Zuko? He didn't like being lectured, but as much as it irked him to admit it, she was right. He didn't know how to rebut that so he spoke childishly. "You're a hard woman to please. Is there anything I've done right?"

"Of course. There's plenty and you know it."

He let out a frustrated breath and let his bad mood go. There was only a small handful of people he'd ever known that cared for him enough to ask these deep of questions or say these bold things. His own mother and uncle were part of that group. Katara wasn't family, she was just a friend, so why did she go so far to ask him these things all the time? She cared an abnormal amount for people, but Zuko wasn't convinced.

In his confusion, his face fell into a dejected frown.

"What are you going to do about them?"

"What I always do. I'll just deal with it one way or another. What do they want?"

"I'm not sure. I only over heard them talking about it. They haven't actually told me anything. I was going to confront them about it, but Sokka stopped me."

"Why?"

"He said he wanted to find out what was going on before I 'make a mess of things'."

"He's smart. It's what I would have done."

"So, now we know some of their plan. What do we do?"

"We?" he asked curiously.

"Of course."

His eyes studied her face for a moment, but for some reason, he couldn't manage a smile. "I'll come up with something when the time comes."

"You've got me on your side. All the way."

He should be happy to hear those words from her, but they only made him feel more depressed. He couldn't fathom why he was so confused right now. "I wish I had someone like you here all the time. It would make all the difference."

Zuko's words did more for her than he realized. To hear that someone actually believed in her when others did not filled her with content. He turned away and started to look more conflicted about something by the second. She was about to ask him what was wrong until he turned to look at her again.

Her words froze when those amber orbs burned into hers in a way they never had. It was too intense to look away from. She could almost feel some sort of conflict rage within him. Maybe it was just her, but tension settled in the air, and Zuko's unnatural silence made her nervous.

"Why do you care for me so much, Katara?" he suddenly asked, lowly.

His eyes were sad now.

"That's a silly question to ask," she said in nearly a whisper, feeling her heart skip a beat at the way he was looking at her.

Wasn't it obvious that she trusted him? Didn't he know she had an admiration for him ever since he helped her find her mother's murderer? Didn't Zuko realize they were close friends no matter the distance over the years? She took care of everyone close to her as much as she could. He was no exception, especially when the kind of help he needed was something only she could give.

He was always so surprised when someone did something good to him. Did he think himself incapable of doing the same for others? This friendship wasn't one-sided. Zuko did things for her just as much as she did for him. When would he realize that?

She was about to ask him just that, but she couldn't form the words she was looking for. Those piercing eyes he was staring at her with melted the thoughts before they could reach her tongue. She stared right back into them knowing she probably should have looked away a long time ago. His golden eyes broke from her and slowly drifted down to her lips.

Her heart suddenly hammered in her chest, wondering what he could be thinking and shocked with what she came up with.

 _'He can't be...'_

The thought didn't finish. Footsteps outside the bedroom door and then a sudden knock made both of them turn towards it. Her face reddened in complete surprise. She could have sworn he leaned in slightly before that noise stopped him. That had to be her imagination, it had to! Because if it wasn't, that meant Zuko...

That meant Zuko was about to kiss her.

He stood up quickly and walked to the door, Katara's wide eyes never leaving him. A shiver ran down her spine as she considered it, but couldn't believe it. He would never do something like that. She had literally a thousand thought out reasons running through her mind why. She had to have misread what just happened because she didn't want to think about what it would mean if it was the other option.

Zuko opened the door to find Shen standing at the other side. He just stared blankly at him. Shen opened his mouth to talk, but glanced over Zuko's shoulder no doubt spotting Katara and froze.

"I can come back later."

"Yeah," was all Zuko said.

Just like that, the man turned around and left without a second glance. Zuko shut the door and stared at it, his mind a sudden mess. Turning away his captain was a big mistake. He should have left and ended this little get together with Katara because now he was alone with her once again. When he didn't turn back to her immediately, a tension filled the air that was so thick he'd need a knife to cut through it. He wasn't sure what he'd see when he looked back at her.

He was out of his damn mind right now.

He...he almost kissed Katara. To think of it now shocked him to his core that he would do something like that to her. He was sitting so close to her earlier and her lips were suddenly so close to his. It was as if someone else took over him because all he wanted to do, in that moment, was take those soft-looking lips in his own.

He cared about Katara and she was growing more attractive by the second, but that was completely out of the blue! He didn't think, he was just going to _do_. What was he? Some adolescent that couldn't control his own hormones? That's what it felt like right now. He didn't even want to imagine what would have happened if he did go through with it.

What irreparable damage it would have caused just to satisfy a fleeting moment of curiosity.

He finally turned to Katara and found a blank look on her face, but her eyes were widened. She was still sitting on his bed, slightly leaned back with her arms supporting her on either side. Even though he was frazzled with what he almost did, he found his heart beating a little faster at the sight.

Maybe it was the fact that she was sitting on _his_ _bed_ , or that the soft candlelight was setting her bare arms and revealing legs aglow, or that he was a bit of an emotional mess right now. The shy blush on her cheeks and parted lips were hard to look away from.

A very small part of him took it a little too far and ventured into forbidden thoughts. She looked ripe for the taking. He wanted to walk over there, take her lips and finish what he started. He wanted to touch that skin he'd been so curious about and to grab those tantalizing curves. Most of all, he wanted to push her down onto the bed and do unspeakable things to her.

Of course, that was all what the small part of him was thinking. Zuko was still sane enough not to let those thoughts surface. Though, they were starting to slip through the longer he looked at her and the longer his body heated up in response.

He finally gave up and tried to justify that any man would have this sort of reaction with a woman sitting there like that. Not only that, but it had been an agonizingly long time since he was last with a woman. All that built up sexual tension was exploding right in front him, here and now, with her of all people.

If there were other's sitting there like that, he'd be just as fired up. Though, as he imagined a handful of mistresses sitting there, he found himself bored with the idea and when he tried to picture Toph or even Suki, he cringed.

Zuko blinked as he felt some sort of spark of realization go off in his head.

He was obviously physically attracted to her. There was no point in denying it now. That body of hers was seducing him just by being there, and by being strictly untouchable.

With the shocking new thought falling all over him like a ton of rocks, he somewhat flinched when she stood up, finally breaking the silence of the room. Her face was stripped of emotion as she headed straight for him.

Zuko gulped, hoping his rather sudden attraction to her was not obvious.

This was one secret he'd take to the grave and he almost blew it not a few minutes ago. She put a hand behind her head and looked away when she stopped right in front of him.

"You said you're feeling better, right?"

"Yes."

She hesitated. "I want to be sure before I leave for the night - would you mind if I check it one last time?"

She finally looked at him and gestured to his chest. He nodded to her and she slowly reached to him. His heart sped up again, and when her fingers touched the area around his head, he desperately hoped intense pounding would not give him away.

After a moment, she seemed satisfied and dropped her arm.

She sighed. "You're going to be fine."

He forced himself to smooth his tattered composure. "Thank you, again. I'm not sure how to repay you for everything you've done."

She smiled lightly up at him. "You don't need to, Zuko. Hopefully, this will make things easier for you here."

Zuko was doubtful, but he didn't say anything.

"Promise me you won't keep things like this a secret in the future."

"I'll try."

She sighed again, "I wish you would say 'okay', but I guess I can work with that."

Seeming disappointed, Zuko found himself compelled to give her a better answer. "'Okay' then, if it makes you happy."

She smiled lightly again at his answer. Zuko stared into her eyes for a moment before they slipped from his control and wandered down to her lips again.

They didn't stay there long, though. A bluish light appeared from behind Katara. Zuko looked up to see those odd lights through the windows and balcony door out again; their glowing rays stretching across the sky. Katara turned around and once she saw them, she headed straight for the balcony door.

She opened it and stepped out, her eyes never leaving the sight above. Zuko followed her and looked into the sky, too, but only half interested in the lights.

"It makes me wonder if there's any reason to be afraid of them at all. They're beautiful, really. They remind me of home."

She looked to him finally, probably to hear his thoughts about it, but he had none. His opinion of them hadn't changed since day one, and right now he was a little more interested in blue eyes than blue lights.

* * *

A/N: On a scale of 1 to 10, how much did you love this chapter? I give it a 9. Shen...ruining everything...


	9. Mad Impulses

A/N: You guys, I love you all and all the favs, follows, and wonderful reviews you leave. The feedback is golden every time. This chapter is smaller than the other ones I have posted. This one and the next were supposed to be one chapter, but I felt like this one needed to be hashed out more than I thought. It's very introspective for Zuko, and I'm glad I split it.

I'm still going to post the next chapter this weekend, but like I said, I wanted to separate them. Even though it's not going to be the most recent chapter for long, I still would appreciate a review on this one. It's a different writing style from what I normally do, and I'd love feedback on it if you have some time.

Enjoy!

* * *

 _Chapter 9_

 **Mad Impulses**

...

They say that time is supposed to help people. That it's supposed to change ruptured thoughts, help the helpless see logic, and turn unwanted memories into shadows. It was supposed to be the solution, not the problem. No one ever explained to Zuko that it could have the opposite effect; that time could do worse and turn a small flame of a thought into a blazing inferno.

It was a fire quickly growing larger and one he didn't know how to control, but as time passed, he began to question whether he really wanted to in the first place.

 _He watches the woman in front of him, nervous and unsure. She isn't looking at him though, she's talking to her brother as both of them stare into the sky as it continues its abnormal light show. Apparently, this was the new past time favorite around here. People were waiting eagerly to see the lights come out at night as fear of them began to die down. They'd stop their evening chores to find a window to look through. They'd gather their families or friends and find a spot on the grass to 'sky gaze'. He could see other people doing the same thing they were in the distance._

" _Zuko, why are you hiding back there? Come out and stand with us," she says to him. He doesn't care about the lights, and he hides because he fears the person that melodic voice came from._

 _It's been a day or two since Katara worked a miracle on him, freeing him from one burden, but shackling him to another within a matter of minutes. A burden that could not be lifted by healing water._

 _He goes and stands next to her, which makes her happy, but he curses because the only thing he can think about is how close her body is to his. He nervously looks to her brother, hoping he can't see the way the woman standing next to him makes him flustered. It's uncomfortable and he doesn't know what to do with himself. Zuko shuts his eyes tightly, trying to control these ridiculous, out-of-control thoughts._

 _But he's losing. Miserably._

 _It gets worse by the second, but as he wrestles with his curiosity, a thought suddenly occurs to him._ _It's a poisonous one that he will later regret ever conjuring up._

 _It's this: No one knows what he's thinking. She can't tell. It was...safe enough for thoughts to just be thoughts._

 _Zuko wraps his decision tightly in the secret confines of his mind, and braves a glance at her._

After that night - after just standing next to her and deciding he was okay with it - things changed. Time he spent with her after that and fleeting thoughts that would pass through his mind began to grow less innocent by the minute.

In the beginning, he would argue with himself senseless about his new attraction to Katara. When she left his room that night after curing him of his debilitating illness, Zuko couldn't stop thinking about her. He thought, no, _hoped_ that once he was alone he'd get finally get a grip. It only got worse when she left because then his curiosity had nowhere to go but his imagination.

He still couldn't believe it was Katara he was attracted to. She'd done absolutely nothing to purposefully grab his interest like so many other women did, yet he wanted her more badly than he ever did the others. It was pure vanity; wanting something he absolutely could not have, and it grew worse as the days passed. She was a friend and, above all, not someone he should suddenly be lusting after.

That's where all his internal arguments with himself started. He couldn't even begin to imagine pursuing any sort of fling with her.

Never mind his other thoughts, that one in particular was taboo to even consider. What would he do? Start flirting with her more to let her know he was interested, then maybe kiss those soft lips in a way that would make her melt from desire in his arms? Then what? He wasn't stupid. He'd eventually want more which would never happen. That would be betraying Aang if he went that far. These _thoughts_ were already doing that.

He avoided her at first, deciding that space was what he needed, but it backfired horribly. If he didn't go to her for something, she would eventually find him. In fact, now that he thought about it, Katara purposefully spent more time with him since that night. It was agonizing, and the 'evade Katara' mission wasn't working. At all. He began to grow too comfortable around her the more he saw of her. In the days that passed after gazing at the sky, he let his eyes wander over to her more often and linger longer than he planned. They were still only glances and thoughts, harmless to her and everyone else.

That is, until they started to consume him.

 _He stands in the courtyard of the palace. It's midday with the sun beating down on him. He's watching her again as she hugs her sister in law who surprised them by arriving early. Suki hands the infant to its father and then tells them of the journey there and what had happened back in the South Pole while they were away._

 _It's nice to see another familiar face, but Zuko isn't as engaged in the greeting as the others are. Most of his attention is on the other woman standing in the little group. His eyes wander to her when she thinks he isn't looking. A light breeze is out today and it runs right through them and brushes against Katara's neck, pulling a lock of wavy hair with it until it falls down the back of her shoulder._

 _Zuko wonders what it would look like falling against dark skin rather than a blue robe. He has to look away from her then because his mind taunts him to take his daydream a little farther. The more he has to look away from her and the more he stops his imagination, the more irritable he becomes._

 _He's getting bored._

Eventually, just standing around her and thinking wasn't enough. Against his better judgement, he started spending more time with her, and was continuing to open up.

Katara was growing more comfortable around him lately, too. It didn't go unnoticed by Zuko when she started giving him knowing looks, but they were very innocent ones. He knew she was just thinking how she had helped him with his scar and how he trusted her to do it. They were out of fondness, not suggestive ideas. It was hard not to misinterpret those lingering gazes from her, though.

He found himself wishing they were a sign she was thinking the same thing he was, but of course she wasn't. He'd just lecture himself again about how ridiculous he was acting. Still, it was giving him dangerous confidence about being around her. She was inadvertently giving him permission to try to get closer without realizing it.

He started seeking her out more and more to just be around her and Katara was all too eager to go along with it.

 _They have their first political meeting. Ambassadors and other diplomats from around the world have arrived and are gathered in the room to discuss plans. Since they are in the Fire Nation, the most respect in the room goes to Zuko, and he is expected to play the part of leader in these conversations, but he doesn't seem fully engaged in what's been said. He's abnormally interested in the Southern Water Tribe, or rather, one of their ambassadors._

 _It's her first time in one of these meetings and she is a little unsteady. Those that know the Fire Lord are surprised to see him so patient with her, and even more so by how easily swayed by her words he is. After time, she impresses everyone in the room with her determination and knowledge. Many congratulate her as they leave the room for handling herself so well the first time. The Fire Lord tells her the same and she beams at him, but it's not just a casual smile._

 _People see that she looks into his eyes longer than appropriate, but Zuko looks right back at her the same way. They notice how he seems to be with her all the time lately. If one wants to find the Fire Lord, all they need to do is find the blue-eyed waterbender. People begin to whisper and say things, but the idea of it is a little too far-fetched for anyone to believe._

 _What they can't see is the line Zuko is daring to walk. He spends more time with her, dares to stand closer to her, and says things that maybe he shouldn't. Worst of all, he doesn't feel as guilty about his thoughts toward her lately. The lectures that keep his imagination at bay are starting to dwindle dangerously._

Being around Katara was a double-edged sword. He could be more himself around her. Years of stony attitudes and political faces melted when she came around thanks to her invasive determination to get him to open up. It didn't bother him as much anymore. He enjoyed the calm she always brought with her, but he was letting her in a little too far and getting a little too comfortable. The more time he spent with her, the more he wanted of her. It was starting to drive him mad that he couldn't pursue his physical attraction to her.

He had only himself to blame for it, though. He knew exactly what he needed to do to remedy this situation and shut these impulses away - walk away, stay away, and force himself to stop with these ridiculous thoughts. Yet, he couldn't.

No, _wouldn't_ was a more truthful word. A part of him didn't want to let his desire for her go.

She hadn't caught into it yet, even though surely she noticed his stares and slightly suggestive talk that went right over her head. It was a wonder how she couldn't tell the sort of reaction he had every time she touched him with those soft hands, however innocent the gesture was.

He wanted her, however selfish it was. He could only imagine the sort of things he would do if she wanted him back. Someone else's lover or not, the idea of him being the one to show her a world of pleasure she didn't know electrified him.

It was so wrong. So _thrilling_.

 _It's late and most have already headed to their bedrooms to sleep. He, Sokka, Katara, and Suki with the infant in her arms sit around and talk. Eventually, the couple decides to take their son to bed and Zuko is a little disappointed because he knows Katara will follow them out of the sitting room. But she doesn't._

 _They leave and she stays. Zuko's heart runs a mile a minute suddenly. He's alone with her now. She leans back into the couch and sighs, the sound of it making Zuko bite the inside of his cheek._

" _Want to stay up with me?" she asks._

 _He nods, wishing she had meant it in a different way. As she starts to talk to him about who knows what, the only thing he can focus on is the way her lips move. The room is heating up quickly and he wonders if she can feel it too. He tries to keep his thoughts at bay as they talk. He is upset when she says she needs to leave, but stands up and bids her goodnight._

 _Katara passes him to leave the room, but she stops before she does and puts a hand on his arm, the move making his heart beat faster. She talks about the plans for tomorrow, but, once again, he can't focus. He stares at her in disbelief, wondering how a woman could exist that could do this to him with no effort at all._

 _She is so close to him and he wants to taste those lips. He wants to touch more than that hand that's on him. He wants to lean in more to figure out what that hypnotizing fragrance coming from her is. She smiles and leaves too soon, taking her touch with her. His boiling blood starts to cool and his eyes follow her until she disappears completely._

Sensual thoughts kept him up the past few nights. He literally felt out of his damn mind because of it. The longer he let himself be swept up in them, the more he cared less and less what others would think. That right there would be his undoing.

Aang, his best friend, was now an obstacle blocking something he wanted. Where was the shame and guilt for thinking that? It infuriated him to even think about it, knowing it disappeared during one of his daydreams of kissing Katara's neck and running his hand up her thigh, wondering how much he could make her blush in the process.

He doubted Aang hadn't so much as given her a chaste kiss here and there. Maybe they went further, maybe Katara already had a taste of that kind of pleasure. Zuko doubted it, though. The way she would grow uncomfortable at even the slightest amount of innuendo talk (including not coming from him) was almost a dead give away. She seemed clueless in his eyes. Katara had no idea what Zuko could do to her, what things he could introduce her to. Oh, the things he wish he could do. Being so out of reach and untouchable to him only made him more tempted to finally take that forbidden step.

In what felt like only a blink of an eye, he'd gone from a casual attraction to her to wanting so much more. It was the last thing he expected. Truly, the very last. Katara was the very last person he thought he'd want so desperately, and so suddenly.

At one point, he wondered if it was just months of sexual tension built up that made him target her. Of course, the only remedy he could think of was to spend a night with a mistress, then maybe these overwhelming thoughts of Katara would disappear. Maybe he would finally get a grip.

 _Zuko stands in the middle of the room, his eyes watching the woman in front of him. Golden eyes, like his, give him an alluring stare, daring him to take the step forward to claim her. He takes a slow breath in and out. He does feel fired up and his heart is beating faster. Everything is going as planned._

 _He knows this woman, he's been with her in the past, and in the past he's had no problem losing himself in her embrace. She walks up and puts a hand on his chest. She doesn't mean to, but her hand brushes against the scar there and he grabs it._

 _She apologizes and he slowly lets go. She brings her red lips up to his neck and he can feel her breath against it. He is staring forward and when he feels the sensation, his mind pictures someone else doing this to him. He shakes his head to get the waterbender out of his thoughts, then quickly takes the woman's lips in his own._

 _He's desperate now, not for the woman in front of him, but to keep Katara out of his mind. These lips don't feel right, they aren't as full as lips he'd been staring at lately. He grabs her hips and pulls her closer to him, she gasps in his ear. He scowls. These curves aren't right either._

 _The woman slowly pushes him back until he falls into a seat. She gets on top of him, but Zuko is already losing interest in her. Her hands run across his chest as her lips work on his neck. He is starting to feel dizzy, but the longer he waits the more he realizes that this isn't going to work._

 _He stops the woman and tells her to leave. He's embarrassed and so is she, but she does leave. Zuko falls back into the chair he was in and runs a hand over his face, wondering what was wrong with him._

Of all the women in the world he could have, he suddenly needed the most forbidden of them all.

It definitely didn't work. He didn't invite the woman back in that night, or any night since. He was wrong; it wasn't sex in general he wanted, it was just Katara he was interested in.

He really was out of his mind, and the spiral downward was only going to most likely lead to regret, but he was already too caught in his own trap.

The sound of her voice finally brought him from his thoughts. He turned his eyes to look at her. She was walking ahead of him and looking at him over her shoulder. The question she just asked did not fit the expression that was on her face. Zuko bound his fists briefly. Was she purposefully trying to taunt him with a look like that? He briefly imagined himself walking up to her, spinning her around, and giving her a kiss she'd never forget.

It was just the two of them again as they walked through a foyer of elaborate columns. He answered her question and she smiled for him then twirled around once, obviously excited. Today was the second round of political talks and Katara shined once again. She didn't let anyone bully her in the meeting and made sure people heard her opinion without becoming a bully herself.

He and many others were thoroughly impressed by her again. She should have become an ambassador long ago. They just separated from some Earth Kingdom dignitaries that complimented her on her ability. She was beaming with pride and excitement.

"What are you thinking about right now? You've been quiet since we left the meeting."

He was thinking about how much he loved the way her hips moved when she twirled around like that, and that he wouldn't mind if she did it again.

He smirked, "Wouldn't you like to know?"

"Hmph, whatever," she said, but she didn't sound annoyed. "You're coming tomorrow, right?"

"I've seen that play a million times. I already told you it wasn't my thing."

"Well," she said, "As Fire Lord, I think you should come."

"Oh, as the Fire Lord?"

"Yes, you have politicians to impress remember? Your words, not mine."

"I guess I have no choice then."

Her lips turned to a smile and she turned around and started to walk away. "Goodnight, Zuko."

"Goodnight…" he said lowly. Zuko walked a few steps to keep his eyes on her as she started to walk through the columns. She was heading to her bedroom, a place he wished he could follow her to right now. It was wrong. It was so wrong... "…Katara."

He was playing with fire by being around her, and he knew exactly was bringing to life the longer he was with her; the closer he dared to get. He couldn't resist it, though. He looked at her with burning golden eyes as she finally disappeared behind the columns.

He was a cursed man because playing with fire was something he was born to do.


	10. Come Closer

Thank you for the reviews last chapter! Love hearing your thoughts!

Disclaimer: No own, no sue.

* * *

 _Chapter 10_

 **Come Closer**

…

Katara pushed a stray strand of dark brown hair over her shoulder and turned her face to the evening breeze. It was sunset, and the palace gardens were bathed in pink and gold from the fading light. Leaning back while enjoying the view, she took in a long, deep breath filled with the scent of the distant ocean and summer blossoms. As she did, she noticed Suki's curious eyes watching her.

"What?" Katara asked.

"Nothing," Suki said simply.

Not caring to press further, Katara looked over her shoulder towards the outdoor training course down the path from the tree they were sitting under. If she squinted hard enough, she could see the light reflecting off of the faux weapons some men were sparring with.

Watching their swift movements and the occasional smooth blast of fire from their fists made Katara itch to join them.

However, she was not going to. She was purposefully sitting out there with Suki and her nephew to do some much needed chatting. It started out as any other conversation they had, but Suki stopped talking at one point and decided to give her curious glances and contemplative silence.

Katara wouldn't mind it, but it dragged on to an almost uncomfortable level. When she met Suki's eyes again, this time with a downward turn on her lips, her sister-in-law finally seemed to get the message.

"Sorry," she said, "I was just thinking about something."

"What?"

"You've been spending a lot of time with Zuko lately."

"Well, now that I'm actually being included in political talks, I am."

"That's not what I mean."

"Then what do you mean?" she asked as she pulled a purple flower out of her nephew's hands before he finished shoving it in his mouth. To keep him from crying over his suddenly lost toy, she distracted him by handing him a stick. He took interest in it immediately and hobbled over to Suki to sit on her lap.

"You guys are up late almost every night."

Katara ran a hand through her hair in contemplation. "Yeah, I guess so."

"Hm."

"Hm, what?"

"Hm, nothing. It was just a comment."

"I haven't spent _that_ much time with him."

Suki raised an eyebrow. "Yes, you have."

She looked down and started pulling at the grass. "You know how busy we are. There's a lot of work we have to do, and Zuko specifically asked that I be included in business now that he's feeling better."

"If political talk is all you guys are doing late into the night, it's a wonder why you aren't walking around with stress headaches every day."

"It doesn't bother me. I like being a part of things. Work isn't all we talk about."

"Okay, what _are_ you staying up late to talk about?"

Katara was quiet for a moment, unsure what to say exactly. Now that she thought about it, there wasn't anything in particular they chatted about into the late hours of the night. They lost track of time changing from one random topic to another. "Things. Is there something wrong with it?"

She shrugged. "Nope."

Katara did not like the look Suki was making, but instead of saying something more, she laid down on the grass and stared at the sky.

Maybe she _was_ spending a lot of time with him, but it wasn't time wasted. She could explain to Suki (again) that they were both trying to figure out what was going on with the Northern Water Tribe. Her, Zuko, and occasionally Sokka spent long hours into the night discussing their slowly forming plan on how they were going to handle the problem.

Not that it ever went anywhere. Katara's suggestions of spearheading the problem were always shutdown by both of them. Zuko and her brother would rather scheme in the dark like everyone else around the palace than do something productive about it.

She huffed, frustrated with that particular thought.

Zuko asked her not to confront the northern tribe about the problem. She wholeheartedly did not like it, but she was legitimately trying to learn the ropes of how things worked. If her brother and Zuko insisted that staying away for the time being was the way, then she would begrudgingly try her hardest to listen to them.

It certainly didn't make it easy, though.

"Why were you thinking about it – Zuko and I staying up?" Katara asked, trying to distract herself from her slowly forming bad mood.

"You really want to know?"

"Yes."

"Okay, then," she sighed and leaned over so that she was looking straight down at Katara. "I'm sure you've noticed how easily rumors are spread here, right?"

"Yes, all the women do at the bathhouse is gossip with each other."

"We do that too."

"True," Katara admitted.

"Right, well, in the bathhouse last night, when you and Zuko were hanging out, I heard something."

"What was it?"

"It's about you and Zuko." Katara only blinked. Suki continued, "Apparently, there's a rumor going around that you spent the night with him."

She scoffed in response, waiting for Suki to admit she was joking with her. However, when seconds passed and her serious expression didn't change, Katara realized she was not trying to be funny. "What?" she said solidly with widened eyes, then quickly sat up, almost bumping Suki in the chin. "They're saying _what_?!"

"Do I need to spell it out? They're saying the Water Tribe ambassador spent a passionate night with the Fire Lord. Some are saying multiple nights."

Though completely shocked and angered, her face suddenly turned a deep shade of red when uninvited images flooded her thoughts at the way Suki worded those sentences.

"That-! I can't believe they're saying that!"

"I can."

"What!" Katara shrieked, "Suki, you can't be serious!"

"I said I _can_ believe it. I didn't say I actually do."

"That's just as bad!"

She shrugged. "I can see why the rumor started. You guys don't exactly keep it a secret that you're alone with each other at night."

"People are with him all day long! It's the same thing!"

Suki hesitated. "Katara, you stay up with him past midnight and then you sneak back to your room to get to bed. That sounds every bit of suspicious to anyone looking at this from the outside."

"But we're not- we're not-!"

"You can just say the term 'sleeping together'. I know you guys aren't doing that, but a few others seem to think so."

Katara jumped to her feet. With white knuckled fists, she raged, "That's so ridiculous! We are not doing anything like that! Don't they all know I'm with Aang?!"

"They do. They used the term 'scandal' when they were talking about it."

"I can't believe this! I would never- we aren't-!"

Katara froze when she heard the sound of Sokka's laughter and Zuko's low voice. She turned to see them walking side by side from the training course towards her and Suki. She clamped her mouth shut when her brother stepped between them and scooped her nephew up into the air. When she looked to Zuko, he had a smile ready for her.

Katara immediately turned away from him and he looked taken aback by her cold shoulder. With her cheeks reddening again, thinking of nothing but what Suki just told her, she folded her arms with a scowl. Sokka started a conversation and Suki mouthed a 'we'll talk later' to her when neither men were paying attention. Katara appreciated her willing ear to rant to, but she did not want to discuss it further!

Spreading rumors about her and Zuko? Unbelievable! Claiming that they- that they spent the night with each other? Absurd!

It was official, she hated this place! Secrets, scheming, and now obscene rumors? This was _not_ the kind of trip to the Fire Nation she was expecting!

"Someone doesn't look happy," Sokka said.

"I'm fine," she muttered, trying to angle her face away from Zuko when he eyed her questioningly.

"What are you guys doing?"

"Gossiping," said Suki.

"Oh, your guys' favorite past time. What is it now? Another governor's teenage daughter pregnant? A love affair with a noble and a maid?"

"None of your business," said Katara; her eyes briefly meeting Zuko's before turning away again.

"I didn't really care anyway," he said with a shrug, then turned to Zuko. "You said the chefs will make whatever I want, right?"

"That's what I said."

"Hungry?" he asked Suki.

"I could eat something."

"Good. Katara?"

"I'm fine."

"Alright, well, we're going in. I'm starving." He helped Suki to her feet, then looked over his shoulder. "Sorry I'm bailing on you guys tonight."

"We'll do it again before you leave," said Zuko.

With one last goodbye, they walked away. Katara tensed up the moment she was left alone with Zuko. As she watched her family disappear into the palace, she couldn't help but narrow her eyes in distaste. Those gossiping women would probably just love to catch her and Zuko alone like this. More fuel for that stupid rumor.

"Something on your mind?" Zuko asked.

"Yes, but it's not important. I don't want to talk about it."

"I didn't ask you to."

"You were going to."

" _There's a rumor going around that you spent the night with him."_

With a groan, Katara shook her head to get rid of the words, and considered the option of following her brother and Suki into the palace to leave Zuko by himself. It wasn't a bad idea, especially since people were getting the wrong idea about their time spent together. The last thing she wanted was for more people to hear about it and take it as truth instead of bathhouse gossip. Even if it was untrue, to certain ears, it could be detrimental to her reputation as an ambassador…

Katara bit her lip.

' _Maybe it is a good idea if I leave him alone tonight. If anything, to stop more of that rumor from spreading…'_

"Do you have any plans tonight?" he asked.

"Not exactly."

"Care to go into the city with us?"

"'Us'?

"The Royal Guard and I. We're going to train down there."

"At night?"

He nodded. "We're doing tracking drills. I told you about it before."

"When-" she started, but didn't finish, suddenly remembering the last time they went into the city for the vigil. If she remembered correctly, she was the one who suggested they try it out when he brought it up. It seemed fun at the time. "Oh, you mean running around like a bunch of criminals."

"If that's how you want to put it. Want to come?"

She looked off to the side in contemplation, then sighed, "I don't know."

"Why the hesitation?"

If only he knew.

Going inside and leaving him be was probably the best option, but she couldn't help her slight curiosity. It seemed like a fun challenge the first time he brought it up, and going out definitely beat spending the night sitting around her room.

"You said other people are going to be there?"

"Yes," he answered with a questioning look.

"Okay…are you sure you want to invite me? You seemed pretty skeptical when I brought it up the first time."

Zuko's name was called in the distance behind them. Shen waved at him, trying to usher him back to the training course. "I'm still skeptical. You're going to be easy to find, but I think you should come anyway."

"Why?"

"I want you to. For old time's sake, I guess. What else do you have to do tonight?" He started walking away, but looked at her over his shoulder with expectant eyes.

' _Keep a rumor from growing,'_ she mentally answered.

Zuko kept walking until the sound of his footsteps disappeared and nothing but the swaying of the trees met her ears. Feeling antsy in the quiet, she sighed heavily, then found her feet moving forward before she realized it.

* * *

Rumors were rumors, Katara told herself, and that's all they were. They spread like wildfire, were extremely overexaggerated, and often untrue altogether. Why should she worry about what a few women were gossiping about? She heard a few far more obscene rumors make their rounds lately, and no one actually seemed to take them seriously.

If worse came to worse, there were people she trusted to help set the record straight. She knew the truth, Zuko would know the truth if he ever caught wind of the rumor, and if anyone asked, she'd pound the truth so far into their ears they'd walk away with a massive migraine.

It was nothing but a floating lie, and she wasn't going to tip toe around it as if it were true. The next time she visited the bathhouse, she was going make it very clear to all of them how much of a lie that 'scandal' was.

And she would refuse to leave until she found out who started that rumor in the first place.

Feeling good about her decision, Katara unfolded her arms and tried to let it go for the rest of the evening.

Focusing her attention on Shen, who stood at the head of the group going through drill plans, she finally started to listen. She didn't know the captain of the guard very well, but the few times she spoke with him he came off as a jokester. To hear him giving instructions in a commanding, deep voice was odd.

She stood next to Zuko and about thirty others under some sort of pavilion at the edge of the city. It was dark, both the night and everyone's stealthy clothes they were dressed in. The serious look on everyone's face started to change Katara's nonchalant attitude about their training.

Apparently, her first assumption that it was going to be just a glorified game of hide and seek was not accurate. Everyone, including Zuko, looked so…determined.

When the captain finished, the men started gearing up and preparing. "So, what'll it be?" asked Shen as he walked up to her and Zuko.

"What will what be?" she asked.

"Will you be running or chasing the first round?"

She tapped her finger against her thigh. "Running."

"Chasing," said Zuko.

"Alright. We don't have targets this round, so everyone's fair game. You get caught, you come back here and wait. Then, you get lectured on _why_ you were caught."

"Simple enough, but I have a question. What's the point of all this?"

"To hone your tracking and evasion skills," said Zuko. "It could come in handy if you're ever being chased or chasing someone through the streets."

"Tracking? In the middle of a city?"

"You don't need to be in a forest or on the snow to track someone."

' _How is tracking someone on smooth pavement even possible?'_ she idly wondered, but said nothing more.

Shen walked away and Zuko looked down at her while readjusting the fabric around his neck. "Don't make it too easy," he said with a smirk.

"I doubt it's going to be that hard." Katara waved her hand dismissively.

Zuko smirked wider. "We'll see."

Within minutes, the runners took off into the night. Katara was feeling confident at first, but when her and the others scattered until none but the people in the busy streets surrounded her, she had a sense she didn't really know what she was doing. Everyone else seemed to have a goal in mind when they ran into the alleys.

Though, it wasn't the first time she dodged eyes through a city. Shaking away her inhibitions, she moved with purpose and got to work on her slowly forming plan of evasion.

Their goal was to make it to the courthouse without getting caught. They could use any tactic they wanted as long as it was reasonable (such as no setting buildings on fire, or she guessed her case it would be to not flood any streets). Quiet and quick, the onlookers in the streets were completely oblivious to her antics, leading her to wonder why on earth Zuko was so confident she would be found so easily.

She wasn't that interested with the entire thing at first, but as she eyed the courthouse in the distance and slipped from shadow to shadow, her boredom slowly began to dissipate. Perhaps it was the night air, or her sleek movements that caused the change in her attitude. Adrenaline started flowing through her veins that brought on an itchy excitement.

There was something very satisfying about sneaking around the way she was.

However, just as she was starting to have fun, Katara was forced to eat her earlier words with Zuko when Shen found her after hardly making it six blocks from the starting point. She barely heard him sneak up behind her, and had to control her startled, instinctual reaction to freeze him to the wall.

"You're out," he said as he walked past her, lightly smacking her shoulder.

Then, he was gone.

It happened so fast that it took Katara a moment to catch up.

' _What! Out already?!'_

With a huff, she stood straight and leaned against the wall while glowering in the direction Shen disappeared. She was doing so well! Maybe this 'game' really was harder than she thought.

She had plans of taking the next round more seriously, mind churning with new way to hide and run, but Katara did not turn around. With her pride wounded from being caught so quickly, a spark of defiance flashed through her and she kept moving.

At the least, she could practice getting there. She did _not_ want to be the first one going back to base. No one else knew she was out. As long as she didn't run into Shen again, she'd be fine. Technically, it was cheating, but still…

As Katara grumbled under her breath, she pulled her hair back into a loose, curly braid. Looking up to the roof of the building next to her, she decided to change her tactic. After a minute or two of pulling herself up pipes and cracks in the walls, she was on the shingles and looking at a higher view of the city.

Pulling over her hood once again, and taking on a more determined edge, she set off jumping from roof to roof of the buildings below her. Still, uneventful minutes passed, but even though she hadn't seen any of the royal guard nearby on the barren rooftops, she didn't allow herself to get too confident.

Zuko teased her and made it more or less clear that he would come after her. She expected him to show up at any second to rub it in her face how easy she was to catch…

"… _you spent the night with him."_

Katara's footsteps suddenly slowed and her cheeks flushed again. She tried to block it, but she couldn't stop the brief, conjured up images of her and Zuko and their supposed night of passion - the things everyone thought they were doing instead of going through scrolls late into the night. Each and every one of them was unwelcome for a thousand different reasons, and she shuddered at the idea of it.

Just a rumor. _Just_ a rumor. One she needed to get out of her head!

She only just over what she thought almost happened the night she healed him – when she thought she saw him lean closer to her, staring at her lips. She had enough uninvited speculations from that night alone to last her a lifetime. The idle gossip and the idea of Zuko almost kissing her were not a good mix.

"Ugh. Why does that keep coming back?" she mumbled.

It was all her imagination. That moment when they were sitting next to each other on his bed was nothing but her seeing things. Yet, at times like this, she couldn't stop that tiny voice in the back of her head from making her wonder what would have happened if it were true.

Suddenly losing interest in the courthouse, Katara walked over to the edge of the damaged roof she was currently on and looked down in the street, biting her lower lip.

If…if he did kiss her, then what?

She actually already knew the answer. She would have shot him down, left the room, and probably avoided him the rest of the trip, never to come back after that. Never mind the cringeworthy fact that he would have felt something for her because of it, it would have been outrageous if he actually had the nerve to do it. Aang was the man she loved. Everyone knew that, and he most certainly did too.

Though…

If she didn't run away, if she let him take her lips just like she thought he was going to, what would have happened? Something told her it would have been nothing like the kisses Aang gave her in the past. He had such an intense look in his eyes at the time, and, these days, he was so commanding and passionate. She could only imagine what a kiss like _that_ would have been like.

"Found you."

Katara nearly jumped out of her skin. She whipped around to see Zuko casually sitting on a higher ledge staring down at her. The moonlight was barely reflecting off his eyes, enough that she could faintly make out the amber color. Proudly, he was wearing the same smirk from earlier.

Incredibly embarrassed by the thoughts he interrupted (thoughts she was actually considering!), she seriously contemplated jumping down to the street and running back to the palace. She quickly spoke before he could notice or comment on her suddenly flustered appearance. "Don't look so smug."

She could almost feel his smile widen in response.

"I didn't think anyone would come through this way," she quickly added.

"You'd be surprised how many people think going through the slums is the easiest way to get to the court house."

Katara looked around her with a raised eyebrow. "I've been in slums before. This is definitely not run-down."

"For Fire Nation standards, it is."

"Of course it is," she sighed under her breath. "I expected you to be further ahead by now."

"Someone has to keep an eye out for cheaters."

"Are you saying I'm cheating right now?"

"Yep. Shen got to you first, didn't he?"

"How did you-?" She folded her arms and looked away, but not without stealing a glance at his lips. "Maybe."

"Figures."

"Why is that?"

"He's got a weakness for beautiful women. I guessed he would go after you first. Probably wanted to show off."

Katara's cheeks reddened for the hundredth time that night, wondering if he realized what word choice he just used. At the corner of her eye, he seemed calm and unaffected, so he probably didn't…

Did that mean Zuko thought she was beautiful?

She shook her head and cleared her throat. "I want to try again."

"I'll find you again, before anyone else this time," he teased.

Though flustered, she was not in the mood for his haughty attitude. She glared at him from the side. "Get that smirk off your face. I wasn't taking it seriously when he found me this round."

Unaffected by her scowl, he jumped from the ledge onto the shingles. "If you say so. Still, you won't make it five blocks before you're out again."

"We'll see," she said, repeating his own challenge from earlier back to him.

As Zuko approached, Katara turned around and walked across the roof, intending to get back to base (where she would not be stuck alone with him) as quick as she could. His eyes were on her every skittish step she took and it was incredibly distracting. Because of that, she wasn't paying much attention to where she was walking.

When her foot hit an oddly shaped shingle, the wood below it creaked and groaned. "Wait!" Zuko shouted.

There was some sort of snap below her heel, then the ground fell through. Her eyes widened and by the time she reached out to grab onto something, she was surrounded by darkness. She hit the ground hard, unable to catch her fall. Boards of wood landed all around her and she was showered with dust so thick that it made her shut her eyes and cough.

Pain shot up through the thigh she landed on and she bit the inside of her cheek. Above her, she heard Zuko yell again. "Katara!"

Her eyes were closed, but she heard him jump down next to her and felt his hands grab her arms. "I'm okay."

When she moved to stand up, he pulled her up himself. "Are you sure?"

"I'm fine. I'm not-ow!" She flinched and Zuko let go of her immediately.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to grab you that hard."

"You didn't. It's my hands." She wiped at her dust-covered eyes with an uninjured, clean spot on her wrist before holding both hands palm-up. They both looked down to a few cuts and a large bleeding gash caused by the splinter pile she landed in.

Not bothering to study it too long, she reached out next to her and pulled water out of the air, then wrapped it around her hands. The water glowed for a few seconds before she let it drop to the ground, revealing no blood and sealed cuts. Zuko stepped back from her; the worry on his face gone.

"I forget you can do that sometimes."

"I know," she said, briefly thinking about the scar below his chest. She gestured to his arm when she noticed torn material. "Did you fall through too? Your wrist is bleeding."

Zuko lifted his hand. "No, but I didn't pay attention to where I was landing when I jumped down."

Katara lifted her own hand. "Let me see it."

"It's just a small cut. It's not a big deal."

When he wouldn't hand it to her, she grabbed his wrist and covered the small wound with water. Zuko waited patiently as she healed it the same as her own. She tossed the water aside when she was done, and inspected his pale hand, absentmindedly running her finger over the now pink line. "Good as new."

He was still for a moment as he watched her nail brush against his skin, but then suddenly sucked in a breath and pulled his hand away. "Thanks."

"You're welcome."

Rubbing at her sore thigh, she looked up at the decent sized hole in the ceiling and then to the messy pile they were standing in. With a sigh, she pulled out her braid and tried to shake the dust from her hair. "Do they build all rooves that weak in the Fire Nation?" she asked.

"No. I told you it was the slums."

Zuko reached up and grabbed onto one of the boards on the edge of the hole. He lightly pulled and it snapped almost immediately.

With her eyes adjusting, Katara looked around the darkened room and realized they were standing in a small shop of some sort. "I wonder who the owners are. I just ruined their shop."

"They'll be fine."

"Fixing something like this isn't going to be cheap."

"I know. I'll have gold delivered to them in the morning. Enough to fix this."

"Oh, that's kind of you."

"It happened during training. It's on me." He reached up to another spot and tugged, only to have another board crash to the ground.

"What are you doing?" she asked.

"We need to get out, don't we?"

Katara looked around the shop for a door and spotted one. She walked up to it only to find it completely chained up with the lock on the outside.

"The door's chained shut. It's rusty and weak. I bet I could cut it off with some ice, but I'd rather not ruin more of the shop."

"Don't worry about it. We'll go back out the way we came, and when we leave, we should probably avoid rooftops in this part of the city."

As she looked back to watch Zuko continue to try to find a sturdy spot, something glinting to the side of her caught her attention. After squinting her eyes because of the low light, she recognized some of the trinkets in a decorative case nearby. Looking around the room again and noticing related items, she suddenly realized what kind of shop they were in.

"I haven't been in one of these places in a while," she said.

"What do you mean?"

"It's a fortune teller's shop."

Zuko looked around only half interested before reaching up again. Katara stepped further into the shop, curious about the wares. When she stepped up to a counter, she looked into a bowl full of painted rocks with strange symbols on them.

"Back when I used to travel a lot, I'd always try and visit places like this," she said. "They were always a lot of fun to walk through."

"Why? There's nothing but junk in them."

"I don't think it's junk."

"Well, I don't care for them."

"You don't believe in fortune telling?"

"No."

"Not even a little?"

"Not really."

"I kind of do, but not the way I used to when I was younger." She ran her finger over a couple crystal balls in the shelf next to her. "Before the war ended, when we were headed to the north pole, we met a fortune teller."

Katara momentarily sneered at the memory of Aunt Wu and how the village she lived in was totally convinced she was some divine being, when, in reality, she was a fake. Her and Aang had to take matters into their own hands and bend the clouds in order to convince the people their village was going to be destroyed.

"Did you all get your fortunes?"

"Yep. She told Sokka his future was full of struggle and anguish and that it would all be self-inflicted."

Zuko laughed lightly at that. "What did she tell you?"

She glanced at Zuko briefly in contemplation. Now that she thought about it, besides asking her what she should wear or eat, the only things she wanted to know about were her future family and love life.

"Oh, nothing you'd be interested in hearing."

"Tell me."

Katara shrugged. "She told me how many kids, grandkids, and great-grandkids I would have. She said I'd have my third great-grandchild before I peacefully passed away in my sleep." Katara picked up one small crystal ball, in particular, that caught her attention and inspected it, finding that it had in interesting array of colors in the moonlight. "She also said I'd marry a very powerful bender."

There was a moment of silence.

"Aang _is_ a powerful bender."

She ran her thumb over the smooth surface. "Yeah," she said lowly, "I guess she got that part right…but, who knows? She ended up telling us she wasn't the real deal and that our future is what we make of it."

Zuko stopped grabbing at the roof and watched her instead. When it stretched on longer than she was comfortable with, she slowly turned to meet his eyes. "Has someone ever told you what your future holds?" she asked.

"No."

"You should try it."

"I don't really care to find out how many kids I'm going to have or when I'm going to die."

"Do it for fun then."

"Didn't you just say my future is what I make of it? If that's the case, getting my fortune sounds like a waste of time."

"Zuko, you need to loosen up. I said it's for _fun_ , remember? Though, if you insist, we'll look at it your way." She held up the crystal ball with a small smile and looked at him through it. "What does the noble Fire Lord see in his future?"

"Noble?" he scoffed, "I wouldn't say noble."

Katara raised her brow at his tone. She was referring to his high-born status, but it sounded like he thought it was about his integrity. "Why not?" When he shook his head, she pressed, "What's keeping you from being noble?"

He looked away from her. "Wanting things I shouldn't."

"What things?"

"You don't want to know."

"I do."

Zuko eyed her for a moment in silence, but then walked up to her. The second he stepped a little too close, Katara tried to back up, but bumped into the counter behind her. Startled, she could clearly feel the heat coming from his chest.

Obviously not noticing that he was invading her personal space, he reached out and took the ball from her, sighed heavily, then held it up. His golden eyes flickered intently between his loose black hair. "I see a sleep-deprived Fire Lord standing next to his wife with a couple of kids and a happy council."

Katara cleared her throat. "That's it?"

"Hopefully a peaceful nation, too."

She leaned back some. "Why a happy council?"

"I'm married and they have their heirs."

" _Their_ heirs?" she repeated.

"Yes. Once they have them, they'll finally get off my back about it and be satisfied. It'll make my life a lot easier."

"That's a sad way to put it."

"Why?"

"Heirs to the throne or not, they're still your children. I feel bad that you only see them as things you need to give to the Fire Nation."

He looked completely thrown off by her words; almost dumbfounded. He finally took a step back, giving her space he never should have taken and allowing her to breathe better. After blinking a few times, he looked away with something between a scowl and an apologetic frown on his face.

"I…" he trailed off.

"I don't like your negative outlook," she said softly.

He looked down at the crystal. "Tell me what you see."

She slowly reached out to him, and, careful not to touch his hand, took the ball from him and peered into the crystal. "I see a man who's a beacon of hope for millions of people around the world. He's happy and surrounded by people who care about him."

He suddenly looked very uncomfortable. "Who's to say I don't have that now?"

"You're the one who told me you're surrounded by people you don't trust."

"Maybe that's not true anymore."

"You're not trying to argue with me about it, are you?"

"No…"

She sighed. "Then don't disagree with me. All I'm saying is your future is full of happiness and people who love you."

"…love, huh?" he asked awkwardly.

"Of course. You're such a pessimist sometimes." She set the ball down and walked across the room towards the hole she created. However, she got distracted when a poster on the wall caught her eye. "You make your own future, remember?"

Zuko scratched the back of his head and his scowl returned, which annoyed Katara more than it should have. "For what you described, I don't know."

"Fine, if you're going to be like that, maybe you _should_ just let fate decide."

Zuko didn't answer.

Katara knew that snooping through people's stuff wasn't okay, especially after she wrecked their shop, but she couldn't help reaching out and tapping the familiar designs on the poster. "That's odd. I don't usually see stuff like this very often outside of temples."

"What is it?"

"Things you use to make visage tattoos. You know, tattoos that tell you your fate."

"That's not something odd."

"I mean it's odd to see these drawings in particular. I recognize them from the air temples and a few other spiritual places I've been to. Aang told me that only spiritualists can do these tattoos." Her lips turned into a small smirk. "If it's so hard for you to imagine your future, maybe you should get one of these for some insight."

"I doubt it's any more reliable than that fortune teller you just told me about."

"Maybe not, but would it be worth a try?"

"You realize that spiritualists drink opium to get high, then they tattoo on your back whatever the 'spirits' tell them, right?"

"Well, when you put it like that…" she trailed off. "Still, though, spiritualists might be better fortune tellers than the usual type. Maybe the spirits know things about us that we don't."

"I doubt it."

' _Always the pessimist,'_ Katara thought.

"You have no faith in the spirits, do you?"

"Not really. Besides, who would want a tattoo like that?" he asked as he gestured to the poster of the many types. "They're ugly."

Annoyed with his sour attitude, she folded her arms. She happened to like the designs he was scrutinizing. "Maybe I have one of those 'ugly' tattoos."

He raised an eyebrow before shaking his head, unconvinced.

"You haven't seen me in five years," she said, "maybe I got it during then."

There was a small smile tugging at his lips. "I don't think so," he said confidently.

"How would you know? It could cover my entire back."

He scratched the side of his head. "Nope."

Uninterested in arguing, silence fell between them again. Just like before, Zuko wasted no time to continue staring at her. "We should probably get out of here," she said, averting his eyes.

Zuko nodded and walked past her and stopped directly below the hole.

She looked around the room again. "I don't see another door. I guess we really are going through the roof. It doesn't look like there's anything in here we can stand on."

"Come here." She turned around to see his hands locked together in front of him. "I'll hoist you up."

"What about you?"

"I can jump and grab onto the wood and pull myself out."

"I can do that too."

"I'm pretty sure you're too short for that, but if you want to try, go ahead."

What she said was more out of defiance. She had no problem using Zuko's help. It would probably be a better idea than jumping up and down like a fool trying to reach the beam. Instead of answering back, she wordlessly walked up to him and hesitantly put her hands on his shoulders while lifting her foot into his clasped grip. She was very aware the way her heart skipped a beat when she noticed the detail on his lips.

Instead of pushing her weight into his hands, she hesitated a moment, a little taken off guard by how warm he was beneath her palms. The last time she touched him she was sure his skin was cooler. Someone once told her that firebenders ran hotter than the average person. Maybe there was some truth to it.

"Something wrong?" he asked in a low, raspy breath that brushed across her face.

"No. You're just…really warm."

His small smirk was back. "Firebender, remember?"

Whether he did it on purpose or not, she could swear the broad, muscular shoulders she was gripping onto heated up even more. His gaze was intense, and his face was suddenly too close.

"… _a passionate night with the Fire Lord…"_

She suddenly wished Suki hadn't told her a thing about it. It was a cringe-worthy thought, but for some reason, with Zuko so close and his skin and body heat so incredibly warm…a new idea came to mind. It was small and one she didn't immediately try to beat down – she didn't have the attention to do it with Zuko's breath brushing against her neck like that.

Her and Zuko sneaking around at night instead of doing political work.

Them locked away in his bedroom doing the sort of things some people thought they were doing.

His lips pressing against hers with his strong arms holding her in a tight embrace.

Katara didn't realize she was standing still, unmoving and all too aware of how fast her heart was beating, until the smile on Zuko's lips faded. She was painfully aware of her sudden hesitation and most likely beat red now that she realized how far she took that daydream.

Zuko did nothing, even though the tension in the air was clearly affecting him as well. He didn't even try to look away from her when the air turned almost unbreathable. When he did move, it was to faintly run his thumb across the tip of her foot still cradled in his hand.

An almost painful chill ran up Katara's back and she looked away from him.

"What am I grabbing onto?" she asked very quickly.

Zuko didn't miss a beat and hummed his answer. "The large beam right above us."

"Okay."

"You ready now?"

She could tell by his knowing look that there was some underlying meaning to that question, but Katara didn't want to think about it. The only thing she wanted to do was get away from Zuko as soon as possible.

"Yes. Don't let me fall."

He hesitated, then smiled lightly. "Only if you want to."

"Well, I don't, so hold on tight."

Zuko closed his eyes and let out a huff of a sigh.

He easily lifted her until she was high enough to pull herself onto the beam. Once she was on the roof, she gratefully embraced the cooler air, and avoided any odd-looking shingles. As she did, her eyes wandered skyward to the brilliant streaks of light now adorning the sky.

"I guess it's that time of night again."

"Did you say something?" Zuko asked as he jumped up to the beam. He pulled himself out as easily as he said he would.

Katara turned away from him. "The lights are out."

Zuko looked upward momentarily, but seemed more interested in her. When she refused to look at him, he turned away. Taking careful steps, he walked over to the edge of the roof. "Everyone's probably back at base by now. We might be the last ones to show."

"Yeah…" she trailed off as she looked up the mountain towards the palace. Katara shook her head, suddenly losing the desire to keep going with their tracking game. She suddenly wanted to be alone in her room; away from everyone, away from Zuko.

"Come on. Let's go through the streets." Zuko grabbed onto the rain gutter and disappeared below. She heard him land on the ground with a thud.

Feeling a little numb, she followed Zuko to the ground and stared at his back as he looked out the alley into the street.

"Hey, Zuko?" she said very quietly, "I, uh, I think I'm going to head back-"

"I know I've been giving you a hard time about it," he interrupted, not seeming to notice she was talking at all, "but, instead of being one of the chasers, I could partner up with you the next round and show you a few things, if you want."

He smiled at her over his shoulder.

She had to admit it was hard to say no with that sort of excitement in his voice. Still, she was quiet.

"What is it?"

"Nothing. Let's go," she said with a sigh and walked up to him.

Zuko's smile widened even more before he covered his face and walked into the street. She followed behind him and didn't make it twenty steps before both of them spotted a familiar man leaning against a building they were walking past.

Shen eyed them looking very bored, but raised an eyebrow when he made eye contact with Zuko. "Don't mind me," he said with raised hands.

"How did you find us?" she asked.

"It's my job to know what Zuko's doing at all hours of the day," he said simply before folding his arms, "Aren't you supposed to be back at base?"

She looked away and mumbled, "…yes."

"Cheater. What's with the mess? You're covered in dust."

"I fell through a roof."

"Did you now?" he asked then looked straight at Zuko. "That rough, huh?"

Katara missed the very aggressive glare Zuko gave him in response, too busy trying to shake more dust from her hair now that he pointed it out. "It wasn't that bad," she said languidly.

"Oh, really? No small burns anywhere I hope."

"Um, I didn't fall into a fire. I got a few cuts and maybe a bruise or two, but I'm fine."

Shen smirked. "Sounds interesting. Tell me more."

Zuko suddenly grabbed her shoulder and ushered her to walk beside him. "No. We're leaving, and I'm thinking about firing you."

Shen crossed his arms behind his head and followed. "You'd miss me too much. I was only making sure you weren't…hurt. You can be such a prude, er, I mean _peach_ sometimes."

"He had a gash on his palm from following me down," she said, "but I took care of him."

"Heh. I bet you did."

"Stop," Zuko growled.

Katara looked between Zuko's frown and Shen's crooked smirk curiously, wondering if she missed the reason for Zuko's hostile attitude toward his captain.

* * *

"Are you going to tell me what I did wrong?" Katara asked while looking at Shen over her shoulder. They decided to take a shortcut that brought them right through the middle of a busy street. Even at this time of night, the bars and shops they passed were alight with activity.

They talked some on the way there, but the trio fell silent once they stepped into the large crowd. Zuko didn't seem nervous because of it, but he kept pulling his hood down further, and the cloth on his face up higher.

"For one, you took the straightest path to the courthouse. Rule number one with evasion: never head in a straight direction if you can help it."

Katara grabbed her chin in contemplation, considering the advice. "Anything else?"

"Yeah, you left your back wide open. You put too much attention on the streets and alleys ahead and not what's behind you."

"Hm. You want to add to that?" she asked Zuko with a pouty frown. He stepped up closer to her, and she responded by picking up her pace, maintaining the gap she purposefully put between them. If he was bothered by it, she didn't turn around to check.

"You weren't paying attention when I found you. Something was on your mind and I was able to sneak up on you because you were distracted."

Katara fidgeted with her hands, remembering very clearly what was on her mind at the time. "Oh…"

"What were you thinking about?"

"Going back to the palace," she lied.

"Do you not want to be out here?"

"I don't' know…" she trailed off, then became distracted with a large group of people in front of their path.

"We should get out of this street," said Shen, "I don't like how crowded it's getting."

Without hesitation, Zuko followed Shen as he moved towards an alley. Katara didn't follow, though, and it wasn't because of the big crowd that lay ahead of them.

"Katara, are you coming?"

She didn't answer back and her brow furrowed. She was standing next to a building that looked crowded. Too crowded; even for a restaurant, if that's what it was. People were walking in and out every few seconds, each of them looking a little despondent. Their completely downtrodden expressions are what made her hesitate in the first place. She looked up to one of the windows when she heard coughing echo from it.

Zuko walked up next to her. "What is it?" he asked.

"What is this place?"

He inspected the building. "It's a healing house – where people go when they're sick."

"There are so many people in there. Is that normal?"

He hesitated a moment. "No, it's not."

"Hey," Shen's voice called from the opening of an alleyway. When both of them glanced towards him, he waved his hand for them to follow.

"Come on. Let's go."

Katara bit her lip, looking between Zuko's disappearing back and the healing house. With a sigh, she turned away and started following the two men, trying to ignore the itch to walk in there and find out what was going on. The familiar urge to investigate and help never failed to appear when she saw something odd like that.

She was leaving now, but maybe she could stop by tomorrow to find out what was going on. There were too many people in there. Maybe she could help somehow…

Suddenly, a blood-curdling scream erupted from the building she was walking away from, and Katara froze. A second later, she turned on her heel and rushed toward it. People in the street halted too with wide eyes. It sounded like a woman was dying in agony.

When she was inside, Katara weaved and pushed her way through the stuffy air and groups of people until she found the woman that was screaming.

She was kneeling on the floor and grabbing onto her head fiercely. The cot and table next to her were knocked over with shattered glass and water at her feet. A frantic man was in front of her with his hands on her shoulders. He looked utterly confused and terrified at what was going on.

Another woman, a healer possibly, ran up to the two. "What happened?!"

"I don't know," said the man, "She just fell over and started screaming!"

Someone bumped into Katara from behind and she briefly glanced back to see it was Zuko. He had questions in his eyes, but when he turned to the scene before them, he didn't ask them.

The woman started sobbing. "I c-can't do this anymore! Please make it stop! Please!"

"Hiyori, listen to me. You need to lie down," the healer tried to say soothingly.

She clutched onto the man in front of her and pressed her face into his shoulder. "It doesn't help. N-nothing helps! I can't take it!"

The man picked her up in his arms and Katara walked up to them. "What's wrong with her?"

"Please stand back," said the woman as she eyed her and the crowd forming around them.

"I can help." Katara reached out and pulled the water from the ground. Some people around her gasped when they saw it hover in the air above her palm. She was vaguely aware of the way Shen and Zuko tensed up and looked around the room.

"You're…a waterbender?" the woman asked in surprise. She looked to the crowd again. "Okay, follow me."

The healer ushered the man with the woman crying in his arms to follow, and yelled at the others to get out of the way. They made it to the back of the building and walked into a dimly lit private room. Another similarly dressed woman, probably an assistant, walked up when she saw them. "Is that Hiyori?"

"Yes, lie her down here." The man did as she said and gently put the younger woman down on the cot. The healer shut the door, but not without suspiciously eyeing Shen and Zuko who stepped in behind them.

"What's wrong with her?" Katara asked as she knelt next to the bed.

"She- well, we don't know. She has a debilitating headache, but we don't know what's causing it."

"A headache…?" Katara asked. She bit her lip at the incredibly small list of things she could do for that. However, her hesitation was brief and she turned to the man. "Can you turn her over?"

He did as she said and when Katara could see her neck, she covered it with water. It lit up in her palms, and everyone in the room stilled. Slowly, the woman's muffled weeping lessened and her body visibly relaxed. When her eyes drifted closed, the water stopped glowing and Katara brought her hands back. She let out a breath she didn't realize she was holding.

"Hiyori?" the man grabbed her shoulder, and Hiyori didn't respond. He turned Katara accusingly. "What did you do to her?!"

"Calm down. She helped her." The healer touched her cheek and took her pulse. "She's asleep. It's the first time she's gotten any rest in days."

The man blinked and then hunched his shoulders. "I'm sorry. Thank you."

"It's fine. I'm glad I could help."

"What did you do, exactly?" asked the assistant.

"I just relieved some of the tension in her muscles. It helps, but it doesn't take away what's wrong with her."

"It's more than we were able to do. I've never actually seen a waterbender heal someone," said the older woman. She seemed very relieved, but her face slowly fell and a hard look settled in her eyes. "Thank you very much for helping her, but I have to ask you to leave now."

Katara's smile fell. "Why?"

"Mostly, it's for your safety. I also do not trust strange men who carry weapons and cover their faces," she said as she glared at Zuko and Shen.

They didn't react to her comment. "Why is it for our safety?" Zuko asked.

She looked to Katara. "My dear, there are people in here that will hurt you if they find out you're a waterbender. I do not have the means to keep you safe from them."

"I see," Katara said while looking at the water she dropped to the floor. She could more than handle herself against any threat, and with Zuko and Shen beside her, there was no way they'd lose a fight if one were to break out, but that was not the reason she felt wounded by the woman's words. She still wasn't used to the reminder of people's prejudices.

"That, and," the healer continued, "Hiyori is not the only one who is suffering because of headaches. Almost every person in this place has the same problem. We believe a sickness is going around."

"A sickness?" Katara repeated.

"Okay, we're done here, especially after that," Shen said as he walked towards the door, then eyed Zuko. "Don't touch anything."

Zuko, however, did not follow him. "What kind of sickness?"

"I believe you should listen to your friend over there. Please take your leave and let us handle the situation."

"I want to know what's going on," Zuko said sternly.

"And I am refusing to tell you. Leave, or I will ask the soldiers in here to escort you out."

Katara could see the impatience on his face, covered or not.

"Don't-" Shen started, but stopped when Zuko pulled down the cloth covering the lower part of his face and removed his hood.

Everyone in the room looked at him incredulously before Katara caught sparks of recognition on their faces as they studied the scar surrounding his left eye. The man next to Hiyori jumped to his feet with his mouth gaping. At the same time, the healer took a step back, startled, then immediately bowed.

"M-my lord!" the man exclaimed as he bowed as well.

Shen did not look happy about Zuko's decision to reveal his identity. It was a wonder how all of them immediately knew who he was in the first place. Katara doubted Zuko frequented places like this.

In a calm, yet commanding voice he asked again, "What kind of sickness?"

Looking slightly terrified, the healer answered, "We do not know. It's been going around for about a month now; one that I nor any healer I've spoken to is familiar with."

"Are headaches the only symptom?" Katara asked.

The woman nodded. "More and more people have been coming to us every day because of headaches. Hiyori was one of the first."

"And nothing has helped?"

"Nothing at all, but light sedatives and what you were just able to do."

The room fell quiet as a slightly ominous feeling settled around them from the news.

"You should leave this place," said the assistant as she looked straight at Zuko.

"Shh! Do not speak to him like that!" hissed the older woman.

"It's true, though. I don't mean to disrespect, but, if you stay, there is a chance you could catch whatever is going around."

"I agree with her," said Shen. "We need to leave. Now. We shouldn't have come in here in the first place."

Shen sent a small glare in Katara's direction. She was surprised by it momentarily, but quickly shot the same look right back at him. Zuko seemed to notice it and stepped in between them with his own frown. "You said this started a month ago?" he asked the woman.

Turning away from Shen, Katara looked back down at the sleeping woman and a ball of worry welled up in her chest. As a conversation picked up, the voices somewhat faded as Katara took in the other's appearance. It was clear she hadn't gotten much sleep in days, possibly weeks.

The sight brought on a sense of de ja vu for her, and how eerily familiar it was other situations she'd been involved with in the past. There were a few times her and Aang passed through towns or villages where a sickness was going around. She always offered to help as much as she could in those situations, but there some things that waterbenders just could not do.

Even in sleep, the same pained expression she had seen on so many others before was lingering on Hiyori's features. Uncaring of the consequences, Katara put the back of her hand on her forehead. The woman mumbled slightly and turned her head upward. As she did, a lone tear ran down her cheek, glinting in the faint lantern light.

* * *

A/N: I always intended the character Hiyori to be in the story, but now she's just in a little earlier than scheduled. Remember, I only give names to characters who play a part in this fic.

The new chapter 11 is in the editing stage. Hopefully, it's out sooner than later.

Thanks for reading. :(


	11. Hot Spell

A/N: the Moon our Witness: Thank you for the question! Rare, but yes, there is a condition of scar tissue growing out of control years after an injury is (improperly) healed. It can make someone's blood turn toxic if it's not taken care of. Sometimes it needs to be surgically removed to fix it, and it usually doesn't grow back afterward. I did put a fictional spin on it, but for the most part, it's true. Scary huh?

As for the story, we are in the final countdown to the 'Spirit Arc'/Spirit World Breach! I won't give away how many chapters, but it's coming up pretty quick. I've set up just about everything I wanted to and there are just a few things that need to wrap up before the main event!

Edit: Thank you for the support you've shown for my revision of this story! I was nothing but a ball of stress and anxiety when I posted the last chapter, but now I feel re-motivated!

I've decided I need to start responding to you guys more. You give me your thoughts and all I give back are thank you's at the beginning of each new chapter. That needs to change!

25Carin: You are not a bad reader! I'd say you're a forgiving one haha. InItToWinIt: I try to take writing this fic as maturely as I can. Sometimes, I pretend it's a job I get paid for (is that weird? What am I saying...of course it's weird). I hope the tension blows the first one out of the water! sylah808: Thanks for the per-chapter reviews. It always makes me giddy when people comment on previously posted stuff. Don't feel bad about not being here from the start. Trust me, this version is A TON better.

Rivierra: The wait is over! One fresh chapter ready to go:) TheLastDigidestined: Devotion or obsession? I can't decide which sometimes, but thank you for noticing the kind of energy this thing sucks from me. Hopefully, it will be one interesting read till the end! DK009: First, thanks for checking out the art I did. It's amazing what coloring does for writer's block. Thanks for putting your trust in the changes to be made. I'll try and make it worth it! TheSylverBlue: I tried to get rid of unnecessary OCs, and Suki sounded like a better way to let Katara know about the rumor. Glad the last chapter was to your liking.

VengefulGeyzer: Thanks for the review, and look forward no more~ starry-eyed: Can you imaging the nightmare it would be if I tried to go back and fix a published/official work? I love fanfiction for all sorts of reasons - going back and making a story better is one of them. nevertalk and EternalFire1984: I don't think you guys are caught up to the latest chapter, but if you are, thank you for the encouraging words! And yes, Zuko is a little miserable, isn't he? xXOceanXx: I'll do my best to make it worth it. I believe I do know what's best for the plot, and the stuff before was no good...

To all the Anonymous' and Guests: Thank you for the reviews and enjoy the new chapter!

Disclaimer: No own, no sue.

* * *

 _Chapter 11_

 **Hot Spell**

…

Zuko placed the brush back into the ink and picked up the scroll he just signed, inspecting his signature and seal. Deciding it was good enough, he rolled it up, then handed it to the older man in front of him. Once out of his grip, Zuko lazily picked up the next document that needed to be looked over.

"Are you sure you want to give this to me?" asked the man in front of him with the faintest hint of humor. "This is something one of the royal advisors should handle."

"The palace scholar has all the rights to carry out duties the Fire Lord assigns to him, even ones the royal advisors would normally handle."

"Since when was this rule placed into effect?"

"Since now."

"Very well." His former advisor nodded thoughtfully, then looked over the other scrolls on Zuko's desk. "I carried out the request you asked of me."

"And?"

"It's not just the one healing house you visited the other night."

Zuko froze, looking up from the paper in his hands. "There are more?"

"Many more. I've gotten word that every healing house in the city is experiencing an abnormally high number of ill citizens. You should know that conflicting reports are coming in that it's the same in other cities far from here as well."

"What are the numbers?"

"Hundreds, for now." The air in the room stilled for a few tense seconds, then the older man lowered his voice. "With that being said, I believe you already know what this is beginning to look like."

"An epidemic," Zuko said flatly.

The other nodded. "I don't want to assume the worst, but it looks like that's what it may be."

"How many lives has it taken?"

"That's the odd part. None, so far. In fact, aside from debilitating headaches, it seems this is nothing but a common, mild sickness."

"What can we do?"

The moment Zuko asked the question, a sense of powerlessness crept up on him. It was a rare thing for him to feel that way these days. He dealt with a lot during his reign; everything from rebellions to assassination attempts to unsuccessful coups. The likes of an epidemic were far from his set of expertise. He didn't know where to begin with something like that.

"I'd say we evacuate you and the world leaders, but the reports are shaping up to be just a bad season of a rather strange illness. The numbers are alarming, but this doesn't seem to be something particularly threatening."

"Something about your tone of voice tells me otherwise."

The other nodded in agreeance with his statement. "There are other reports I've gotten about this problem. If they are to be believed, they are very concerning."

"What do they say?"

"It's strange…many of those who have fallen ill are spiritualists or those that claim to have spiritual gifts. You said the healer you spoke to said this started a month ago?"

"Yes," Zuko said quietly.

"That's around the same time the lights appeared in our skies."

"Are you saying this has something to do with spirits?"

"It seems a little too coincidental. We still can't explain why the northern lights have made it this far south in the first place."

"Everyone always assumes it has to do with spirits when something can't be explained right away. I'm not going to jump to conclusions." There was an obvious sliver of doubt in his words, but if his former advisor noticed, he didn't act like it.

"There is truth to that statement. I know you're not much of a believer, but we shouldn't dismiss the possibility."

Zuko reached up and ran a hand across his face. "Bring the Fire Sages here, then."

"I'll send messengers to the temple," he said with another nod. "You haven't gone back to the healing houses since that night, have you?"

"No."

"Good. Though it's shaping up to be some sort of spiritual phenomenon, I advise you stay away in case it is not. It would be detrimental if another sickness were to befall you so soon after just being cured of the other one."

"I know. I'm aware of my situation," he said, thinking of the tiresome lectures Shen threw down on him every time he hinted the idea of going into the city.

"I hear others have not taken that advice as well as you have. You should encourage the Water Tribe ambassador and the other waterbenders that have gone with her to do the same."

Tell Katara to stop helping? There was no scenario that would ever be successful in. He already expressed his concerns of her going down there the last two days to help out at the healing houses, and he was met with scowls and speeches of how people need her. The scenes of that sobbing woman, full beds, and exhausted people were too much for her to resist.

"I've tried. She won't listen to me," he mumbled.

"Odd, considering how well you two have been working together lately. You did not offend her somehow, did you?"

Who knows? Maybe he did.

What other reason was there to explain why Katara was avoiding him lately? Ever since that night of training, she kept to herself. She stopped coming to his study and left the planning and chatting to him and Sokka. Granted, she was busy trying to help down in the city, but that did not explain why she seemed to actively avoid him _and_ refuse to look him in the eye.

Zuko shrugged his answer.

"She seems to have a gift for healing. I appreciate what she is trying to do and, most of all, what she did for you. However, as a diplomat on Fire Nation soil, she needs to stop until we can say for sure what's going on with this new sickness. We don't want the Chief of the Southern Water Tribe to declare war on us if his daughter were to die here under our watch."

"That won't happen. I'll try again, but I'm not going to lock her away in the palace if she refuses."

"No, that would not be wise." He let out a sigh. "Well, if she insists, at least send a guard detail with her and the others. Politicians like her should not be wandering outside the higher district. Sickness is not the only risk she runs by going to places like that, especially as a waterbender."

"She can handle herself."

"So could you the night you got that nearly fatal scar on your neck."

Zuko flinched slightly at the words. He hadn't thought of it that way. That was a very valid point…

"I'll…look into it."

"Good."

"Are you done with your point-making?" Zuko asked impatiently as his eyes scanned over the mountain of papers and scrolls in front of him.

"Tired of me already, or are you just in a bad mood today?" the other asked, impassive. As Zuko thought of Katara's sudden cold-shoulder, he couldn't help but wonder if that was really the source of his irritation. What exactly did he do to deserve that treatment? He wasn't sure how he was supposed to apologize to her without knowing what it was. "Bad mood, then," said the other man. "I realize it may not be an appropriate time, especially with such vexing problems going on, but there are other things I wanted to discuss with you."

"I've had enough bad news for one morning. What is it now?"

"Not bad news. Well, perhaps it is for you now that I think about it. If worse does not come to worse and we do not have to evacuate the higher district, the gala will still be hosted. That means you need an escort."

Zuko frowned and slumped back. He eyed the archway and seriously considered leaving his former advisor in there midsentence. He'd rather talk about the possible epidemic than the conversation he was trying to broach. "Can we go one day without you bringing this up?"

"This is the first time I've mentioned it," he said, unaffected by Zuko's sour tone, "but I can see you are automatically assuming I'm going to bring up marriage. I had no intention to this time. Though, perhaps we _should_ discuss it."

"Not interested," he grumbled.

"Zuko, you fear marriage like a maiden fears a spider. We put this problem on hold when your illness became worse, but now that Ambassador Katara has saved you from it, we need to bring it to the table again. No Fire Lord has ever made it to your age without a wife or an intended."

"I don't care. I'll stay _un_ -intended until I say otherwise."

"That is your choice, but you know you need to make a decision soon. The Fire Nation needs a royal family, not just a man, if it is to prosper."

"Fire Lords have ruled unmarried plenty of times in the past."

"Not without an heir. You may give that excuse to others, but with me it's not going to work. You need to look into courting decent, noble women again instead of spending your nights with mistresses."

Zuko momentarily widened his eyes, startled. However, they quickly narrowed again in spite. He may be more of a mentor and close friend than just a member of his staff, but the man in front of him was getting dangerously close to truly insulting him. "How do you know about any of that?"

That was one secret he kept tightly under wraps, and for good reason, too.

"I know a great many things. It's not uncommon for royal or noble men to do such things behind closed doors. Also, it's no secret what some of those women are doing here in the palace. You're certainly not the first Fire Lord to use them."

"I'm not using them."

"What would you have me call it, then?"

He honestly had no idea what to say. Yes, he spent some of his nights with three or four mistresses over the years, and he was fully aware it was…frowned upon. Was he supposed to remain celibate until he found a wife? Zuko tried that, and it wasn't long before the attempt failed. It wasn't often he'd cave into it, but it happened on occasion. He'd get so pent up, mentally exhausted, and riled with stress that he'd get to a point where all he needed was a night of release. Out of his lack of time to find a proper girlfriend, he turned elsewhere to get those needs taken care of.

He never _used_ them. That word sounded so...abusive somehow.

They were free to make their own choices about spending time with him, they could come and go as they pleased, and they could turn him down right in front of his face if they so choose. Though, he rarely ever had a woman walk away from him. Maybe it was just his title but...he was very good at convincing them to stay the night…

"'Use' _is_ the correct word. Forget that they are not of noble birth, have you ever considered any of them more than a fling? Unless you intend for something more, that's all it will ever be."

The words were hard not to consider, and Zuko quickly looked to the side, grimacing slightly when he applied those ideas to the most recent woman he was interested in. But that didn't sound right at all. She wasn't a fling. She certainly wasn't going to turn into one.

If anything, she was worth far more than something temporary-

Zuko shook his head, burying the idea before it could fully form.

"At this rate, we may see a bastard take the throne instead of a legitimate heir when you're gone," the older man mused.

That was it. Their conversation was now over. "Enough," Zuko snapped.

"Very well. I'll stop, but I'm betting no one has told you that outright until now. You need to hear it. Hopefully, the next time you engage in such activities, you will remember this conversation."

Zuko pinched the bridge of his nose hard, feeling his head pound in irritation.

"Anyway," he continued, "before I was dismissed as royal advisor, I approached one of the governors from the northern islands. He has a daughter a few years younger than you."

"And you want me to woo her?"

"No, just meet her. Invite her to be your escort at the dance. If you don't like her, then be done with it when the gala is over. She is not like the others everyone else has brought to you. I met her a few months ago, and she is different. The kind of different you may like."

Zuko wanted so bad to argue back, but, knowing this man, he would not leave until he had the last word. His title as Fire Lord, powerful ruler of the entire nation, didn't seem to matter when it came to lectures like this. "Fine."

"Good. I believe her family just arrived in the city. I can arrange a meeting with her."

"Whatever."

Both of them turned when there was a knock at the archway. Zuko thanked his luck for the distraction and eagerly gave permission for the servant to enter. Once he bowed, he pulled out a scroll and said it was a message meant for the Fire Lord.

Zuko reached out, gesturing for him to hand it over, but after a brief pause, his former advisor snatched the scroll and inspected it. He held it in his lap just below the desk's edge where Zuko could not see, then cleared his throat nervously. "You may go," he told the servant.

Zuko held his hand out expectantly, but the other man didn't budge.

"I don't know why they chose to give this to you. This looks to be nothing but trivial matters."

"Fine. Take care of it, then."

He nodded to Zuko and quickly stood up. If he wasn't so skittish in a blatant attempt to hide the scroll from Zuko's sight, he would not have narrowed his eyes in suspicion or paid enough attention to notice the very thing the man was trying to conceal.

He recognized all too easily the black wax seal it bore.

"Wait," he ordered.

The other froze. "Zuko, this can wait."

"Hand it over."

"This is not the time for it. The gala is coming up and with what's going on in the city-"

"Stop. Just give it to me."

The man was hesitant at first, but then slowly walked up to his desk and gave him the scroll. Zuko grabbed it and stared at it with tightening fists. Just the mere sight and weight of the paper made him want to set it aflame in his palm.

With a frown, he opened it and read the words it contained.

* * *

Katara rubbed her eyes and stifled a tired yawn. Soft music from within the theater behind her drifted past on quiet, fading notes, and only encouraged her eyelids to droop even further. The play her and others came there to see just finished and the nicely dressed people who surrounded her inside were now making their way out and back to the palace, or some other nice estate they came from.

Chatting and exchanging pleasantries, they moved slowly like a small stream of water with her and one other man being the only ones standing still against the crowd. Every moment or so, she could see the stranger's face between the moving bodies and thought more than once that he looked familiar.

However, she was more focused on eyeing the downward path that would eventually lead into the city, trying to decide if she should make the trip down there for the second time that day. Though, she wasn't sure she had it in her to do so.

Healing often took a lot of energy from waterbenders, no matter how simple the wound or sickness may be. Doing it all day two days in a row left her feeling exhausted. Physically because of the bending, and mentally because of how little it seemed to help.

As disheartening as it was to admit, it was safe to say none of them had any idea what was going on. The numbers, the chronic headaches, and no other symptoms - none of them had ever come across such a strange situation. The only thing they were able to do was ease the tension temporarily before the pain returned. With that, one could say hers and the others efforts were pointless.

Letting out a ceding sigh, she made her decision to head back to the palace. She wouldn't be much help for much longer in the tired state she was in.

With the courtyard mostly empty at that point, she walked down the steps toward the area that would take her to the palace, but halted at the bottom when she noticed the same man from earlier was still standing by himself. He was barely in sight with most of his body hidden behind a column, but she saw enough of his face to finally recognize who he was.

Considering that Zuko never showed up to the play he promised her he'd attend, it was odd to see a member of his royal guard there. Turning on her heel, she walked toward him. The closer she got, the more details she was able to pick out. She may not be as quick as Sokka or Zuko on uptakes, but she could tell he was armed even if his weapons were hidden.

He was obviously on duty.

"Waiting for someone?" she asked as she approached.

His golden eyes, the same hue as Zuko's, darted to the side for a moment and she swore she heard something close to a disappointed sigh before he answered, "I am."

"Zuko's not here, you know."

"I am aware."

"Then why are you…" Katara trailed off when she noticed the expectant look on the man's face. Suspiciously, she looked around her to the small groups of people and the empty theater steps. A rather odd idea popped into her thoughts and she turned to him with a raised eyebrow. "You're not waiting for me, are you?"

He hesitated, then slowly nodded his answer. "It looks like I'll have to do better with my tailing skills. Most people wouldn't have noticed me. You are very observant."

She folded her arms. "What's your name?"

"Toran."

"You're a member of the Royal Guard, right?"

"Yes, I am the second in command under Captain Shen."

"Okay, why is the second in command of the royal guard following me, _Toran_?"

"I was ordered to."

There was only one person that could order the royal guard around. "Why?"

"He requested I escort you if you intend to go back to the healing house. For your safety."

 _'For my safety?'_ she repeated in her thoughts. _'Since when did he decide I need protecting?'_

"I don't know why he felt the need to send you without me knowing about it," she said icily. "I appreciate the gesture, but I can handle myself."

"It only takes one poison dart to make that untrue." The utterly blunt statement threw her and she could only blink at him. "I have seen you spar at the training course recently. You are an impressive waterbender, but being powerful is not a guarantee you'll be safe wherever you go. If you walk into a crowded situation where people may want to hurt you, it takes only one second of distraction."

"Hm," she mumbled, a little peeved with how ignorant he seemed to think she was. She was fully aware of the potential danger of going to the healing houses surrounded by Fire Nation people, some more bitter and hateful than others. It was annoying, but she couldn't disagree. As for why Toran was trying to do it in secret, that was another matter. "That may be true, but I don't appreciate being followed and spied on."

"The Fire Lord mentioned you would be upset either way – knowing, or unknowing of me following you."

 _'Zuko,'_ she thought sarcastically, _'knows me so well, doesn't he?'_

She tapped her fingers against her arm bitterly. "I didn't think the Royal Guard was tasked with things like guarding politicians."

"We're not. Our priority is the Fire Lord and no one else unless he says otherwise."

"I see." There was a long moment of hesitation from her, but Toran didn't seem to be bothered by her scowl. "You're very loyal, aren't you?"

"I am."

"You all seem to be very protective of him, especially Shen. More than guards typically are."

"We are not typical guards. Shen can be overbearing, but it's a trait that has saved Zuko's life more than once."

Katara's frown disappeared. No matter how many times Zuko or someone else brought it up, hearing about the attempts on his life was something she was not going to get used to. She shook her head slightly to try and drop the thought. "I'm not going back down to the city tonight," she said in a nicer tone. "You can leave."

"Do you intend to go back to the palace?"

"That's where I'm headed."

"Allow me to escort you."

"Do you think I'm lying to you?"

"I promise you I didn't mean it like that. Zuko has tasked me with keeping you safe, but I'm not going to force it on you. If you prefer to go alone, I'll stay here."

Her face heated up a little as his word choice. Trying to distract herself from it, and feeling a little bad for being so snappy with him, she ran a hand through her hair. "Fine, I'll walk with you."

She walked off toward the edge of the courtyard and Toran was quick to catch up. He kept his distance a pace or two behind her and didn't push for idle conversation. Normally, Katara didn't like silences like that, but she was grateful for it at that moment.

She was too busy trying to make sense of the little thought in the back of her mind that wouldn't go away. As they passed the swaying trees and decorative stone pagodas dotting every few bends of the pathway, Katara started glancing over her shoulder. It was a calm atmosphere, but it wasn't quite reaching her.

"You said that you only do things like this when Zuko tells you to?" she asked, quietly.

"Yes."

"How often does he order any of you to guard others?"

He hesitated. "Never. This is the first time."

* * *

Katara was tired, and that meant she could forgive herself for not thinking clearly. However, being so wrapped up in her thoughts to the point that she didn't pay attention to where she was going at all, ending up at one of the places she actively avoided the last two days, was not something she would consider normal. When she found herself finally coming out of her daze of thoughts, completely focused on the answer Toran gave her on their walk back, she expected to be at her room door. Instead, she was staring at an archway she wandered through more times than she could count.

Suki was right. She was spending too much time with Zuko. If her own subconscious lead her to his private office without effort, that was as good of a sign as any.

Shaking her head in bewilderment and rubbing her tired eyes for the hundredth time, she turned away from the dimly lit room to go to the part of the palace she set out for in the first place. Yet, her feet wouldn't move forward.

Leaning back just enough to peer into his office, she listened for signs of movement. When she heard none, she slowly stepped inside. Noticing that the main office area was even darker, she walked up to the opened door and leaned against the frame.

It was a grand room filled with some of the most luxurious things she had ever seen – desk, chairs, art, and almost everything else. It was nice to look at, but without Zuko in there, she found it lost almost all of its character. Much like the play she went to earlier, her excitement for it dropped when she realized Zuko was absent from their group. The show they put on for the dignitaries was impressive at the parts she paid attention, but her eyes were more focused on the empty balcony Zuko was supposed to be seated at. Her hopes dropped at the sight of the empty room and she felt an itchy need to investigate and find out what he was up to.

Then again, maybe if she weren't ignoring him, she'd know exactly where he was.

Ever since Suki told her about that stupid rumor, Katara didn't like being alone with him. The number of times she tried to convince herself that it was just gossip no longer helped. The damage was done and now things felt…different.

The air felt thicker, the tone of their conversations seemed odd, she was _too_ aware of how close he stood next to her at any given time, and there was the ever-haunting notion of things the two of them could be doing as grown adults instead of just chatting.

She wished the simpler atmosphere would come back - she missed it. Yet, wishing so fiercely really wasn't necessary. Her imposing problem _really_ wasn't that terrible and had a simple fix. If she would just stop thinking about simple gossip, it would be fine.

But she heard it all. It was burned into her ears, and now she couldn't let it go.

Katara sighed heavily as a bout of anxiety crept up her spine, and she eyed the archway over her shoulder.

Instead of heading towards it, she stepped away from his office door and walked up to the tall bookcase. Trying very, very hard to distract herself, she searched for the book she knew was hidden among the others. Ever since Sokka plopped it down on her vanity desk, she intended to read it. Now that she (somewhat) saw the play, she was even more interested. When her hand finally stopped at the title she was looking for, she ran her finger across it's black back and raised white words that displayed the title _The Lover and The Liar_.

A love story amongst spirits. Every culture had their tragic spirit love stories. This would be the first from the Fire Nation she read about. Most of their stories were about power, some kind of betrayal, or self-grandeur. This one was the type she'd actually enjoy reading, and it seemed like the perfect distraction.

Maybe spending time _not_ thinking about her current problem with Zuko would give her the answer she needed for how to deal with it all. Time offered all the answers, right?

Instead of opening it to the beginning, Katara flicked through a few random pages before her eyes landed on one paragraph in particular.

"… _who can say what was in her heart when she looked into the darkness? The purest among them, and she gave it all to love that monster. None could decide if that made her soul truly virtuous, or if it dragged it to the depths of depravity._

 _She no longer possessed the sight to see the difference from what was and what used to be before she reached out to him. Casting aside the voices of reason and enmity, she embraced him and found that the only thing in the world that could complete her lied in his arms._

 _She did not know what it was – she could not understand it, but his kiss gave her the answer to everything she ever questioned."_

Katara slammed the book shut and stared blankly at the sides of the white pages.

Maybe that story wasn't the best to read in her current state of confusion. A humorous thought made its way into her mind at the roundabout advice it just offered and she sneered at the idea of it. A kiss to answer all her questions? A kiss to clear up the confusion? Perhaps that was the only thing that could clear up those unrelenting thoughts about Zuko.

She let out a dry laugh but realized it wasn't that funny.

No…not funny at all.

Even if it was just a joke of a thought, thinking of kissing another man besides Aang was not okay. Lowering her head slightly, she ran a hand over her face, then turned around with the book in hand and headed to one of the couches. Despite the disturbing thought, she was still in the mood to read something; anything that would offer her a distraction.

It was late, and the odds of him showing up in there were probably slim. Plopping down on the deep red cushions, she made herself comfortable and tried to empty her mind of concerns as she opened to the first page.

* * *

"Wait for me by the door down the hall," Zuko told Shen, who was walking behind him. "I need to get that letter."

"I can grab it for you."

"I'll do it myself," he snapped. Realizing he was losing his temper, he sighed and lowered his tone. "Just wait for me, please."

Shen gave him one, unquestioning nod, then turned around and walked away. When his back disappeared behind the corner, Zuko resumed his fast pace toward his office. Once he was in, he went straight for his desk and pulled out the scroll. Instead of storming back out, he opened it and skimmed the words.

It was a bad idea and he didn't know why he felt the need to do it right then. He remembered exactly what was written, but his grip still tightened and his nostrils still flared as if the words were new to his eyes. If it weren't for Katara's healing hands, a temper spike like that would have had him doubled over on the ground.

When he did turn around, he only made it to the open door before his senses tensed for other reasons. Getting a distinct feeling he was not alone, (a feeling that usually preceded a knife flying toward his back) Zuko lowered the scroll and froze. His eyes darted quickly around the large sitting room, trying to find what it was that sent off the internal alarm.

When they landed on a lock of dark hair and bronze skin he could recognize anywhere at this point, hidden behind the back of one of the couches, the tension in his shoulders lessened a little. Surprised, his brow furrowed and he tucked the letter away. He quietly walked around the edge of the couch to find Katara sleeping with an open book resting on top of her.

For a moment, he stood still to watch the slow rise and fall of her chest to make sure she was really asleep.

It wasn't an unwanted sight, but he didn't expect to see her in there, asleep or awake. She seemed so adamant about avoiding him lately.

Zuko shot a glance towards the archway he needed to leave through soon. People were waiting for him outside, but, then again, he was the Fire Lord and could do what he wanted. If he told them to stay put because he suddenly didn't want to leave the room Katara fell asleep in, they would listen.

Feeling less conflicted about what he should do the longer he watched her, he pushed the pressing business he had aside. He slowly approached her until he was an arm's width away. He reached out to wake her, but halted midair. Surely, she came there to see him and he was positive she didn't intend to fall asleep like that. She probably had something to say to him.

Curious as he was about it, he couldn't bring himself to wake her up.

He, instead, reached for the book just below her chest and picked it up. He briefly looked at the title of it as he set it aside and was reminded of the play he skipped out on earlier. He was looking forward to it before he got that damned letter...

With a sigh, he stopped hovering over her and settled on an open spot next to her hip, careful not to disturb the cushions too much. He knew he was breaking into her personal space, but he couldn't bring himself to care. She was asleep, and he was too carried away with the sight of her.

How often did he get to see Katara like this, completely oblivious to his curious eyes? He could never quite capture all the details of her face the way he wanted to recently. She'd always lock eyes with him if they lingered longer than a few seconds.

Soft, gentle eyes, smooth dark skin, long wavy brown hair, faintly pink parted lips.

Suddenly feeling as tired as she looked, Zuko sighed again, but this time a sense of longing came with it.

She was so beautiful…

He wished he could just…lean down and kiss her. He'd do it softly in a way that would coax her awake. As she stirred, he'd run the tips of his fingers up her arm. Her eyes would flutter open, only to close again in surrender, letting him do something only his thoughts allowed lately.

The temptation was hard to resist. If only he could do it just once without any consequences. He wished every reason that stopped him - where they were from, who they were, _why_ they couldn't do something that seemed so easy to do - was nonexistent for just one moment. The raw need and desire was almost painful.

' _What's wrong with me?'_ he thought hopelessly.

Was it truly the fact that she was the absolute worst person he could want this from that got him so caught up in the idea? Was he really that…selfish?

Zuko looked away from her, a knot of guilt welling up in his throat, and hung his arms against his knees. A second later, Katara stirred next to him. He instantly felt urge to stand up and step back from her, but for reasons he couldn't understand, he stayed put.

Her light blue eyes fluttered open and stared tiredly at the ceiling. They turned to him, and the way they widened as her body tensed made Zuko regret his decision to remain where he was. It was definitely an awkward situation to find him in - practically pressed against her hip.

Briefly looking around the room, she sat up and scooted a pace or two away from him until her back hit the armrest.

"Sorry I woke you," he said in an attempt to break the sudden, awkward air.

To his surprise, instead of trying to get off the couch, she leaned against the armrest she backed into. It was closer than he expected she'd be comfortable with.

"What time is it?" she asked quietly.

"Almost midnight."

"How long have you been in here?"

He read through the lines easily enough. What she meant was 'How long have you been watching me?'. He should lie to lessen the already strained air between him, but, like before, he made another bad decision. "A few minutes."

She looked away from him and nervously smoothed out some of the hair that bunched up while she was lying down. "Oh," was all she said.

"Did you mean to fall asleep?"

She shook her head. "I didn't think I would. I was reading and lost track of time."

"Is the story any good?"

Katara looked down at her lap, probably to find the book, then spotted it on the table next to them. "It's different. Not the kind of romance I'm used to reading. I'm starting to like it, though."

"Better than the play?"

"I didn't watch much of the play." Before he could ask why, she quickly added, "Where were you?"

"I got caught up with something. It happens sometimes."

"We missed you."

"Did you?" he asked in a lower tone. He couldn't explain where his sudden boldness was coming from. Though subtle, he needed to stop these little advances before they went too far and she noticed.

"Why wouldn't I?" she asked as she looked away and hid her blue eyes from him again.

"I thought you might be angry with me. You've been avoiding me lately," he said simply. "Did I upset you?"

Obviously taken by surprise, her expression faltered. "No."

"If it's something I did-"

"You haven't…done anything, Zuko. I've just been busy going to the city. You know that."

He felt her answer wasn't entirely the truth, but instead of pushing her, he nodded thoughtfully. Silence settled between them again. He kept his gaze on her, and wasn't so subtle about it. He could tell she knew what he was doing by the way she looked from one random spot in the room to another and fidgeted with her hands.

"You look tired," he said.

Though low, his voice sounded too loud against the silence of the room; the same way his very presence felt against the empty space. Katara was absolutely aware he was staring at her, painfully so. "Healing takes a lot out of me."

She absentmindedly reached up and gripped onto the edge of the finer robe she was wearing and tugged against the fur.

Warm. It was suddenly too warm in that room.

"Don't push yourself too hard."

"I can handle it."

"I know, but…"

When he trailed off, Katara was reminded of the surprise escort she got after the theater. "I met Toran," she said with a frown.

"Eh-" Surprise flashed through his eyes, but it was short-lived. With a small slouch of his shoulders, he asked, "When did you notice him?"

"When I walked out of the theater."

"That was fast," he mused.

"Or maybe I'm harder to sneak up on than I was a few nights ago."

"You _are_ a fast learner."

Instead of thanking him for the compliment, she cut straight to her point. "He told me why he was following me when I asked, but he didn't mention why you ordered him to in the first place."

"I don't trust people, and I trust hotheads who haven't let go of the war even less," he said simply, then his tone changed to tentative. "Are you going to yell at me for doing it?"

"No."

"That's not the reaction I was expecting."

"I'm not exactly happy about it, but I'm not angry either. I would have been, but Toran said something I agree with."

"What was that?"

Her eyes dropped from his eyes to his neck. "That scar on your neck, why couldn't you stop the person that gave it to you?"

He seemed confused by her question and reached up to touch the fabric covering the red line. "I wasn't paying attention."

"Could it have been stopped if someone was near you to notice?"

"Um, well-" he said awkwardly as a very faint blush covered his cheeks. "I guess, yes, now that I think about it. If someone were nearby, they would have seen the knife when I didn't."

With a lump in her throat, she stopped herself before she could picture the act that gave him yet another scar to bear for the rest of his life. Leaning further against the armrest, a shaky sigh escaped her lips.

"He can come."

"What?"

"Toran. He can come with me when I go to the city."

"You mean you're…okay with it?"

"I know I'm not invincible. I _am_ a little offended that you ordered him to follow me without me knowing about it."

"I'm sorry," he said sheepishly, "I should have talked to you about it."

"I forgive you, and I understand why you did it. It's rare for anyone to get close enough to touch me, but things can happen. We haven't been attacked while there. The only thing we've gotten are a few insults here and there."

"They could be arrested for that."

"Not that again," she said, remembering how close Zuko came to doing just that to the restaurant owner. "I'm sure I'll be fine, with or without insults, but I'm okay with knowing someone has my back in case I'm not. So, he can come."

"That gives me some peace of mind," he said quietly. "Have you been able to help any of them?"

"Barely, but it's enough to keep some from screaming in pain."

"I'm glad they have you, then."

Feeling a little touched by his words, she offered him a small smile. Instead of smiling back, Zuko looked down with an uncertain expression. "When is Aang supposed to get here?"

"I haven't heard from him in a couple of weeks," she worried, "but it should be any day now."

His face stayed the same and he nodded. He seemed very deep in thought when his eyes suddenly widened.

"You're still planning on going to the gala, right?" he asked.

"Of course."

"Do you think Aang would mind if I steal you for a dance?"

 _Steal_ her? A small blush crept onto her cheeks and she berated herself for it, hoping Zuko wouldn't notice. No one ever wanted to 'steal' her for a dance before.

"I need an escort to the gala," he added, "It will only be for the beginning. Will you be it?"

That was about the most counterproductive thing she could think of in her situation. She wanted to put space between them, and he wanted to pull her closer. Then again, it was wrong to think of it that way. Fuel for the rumor aside, what was wrong with a simple, formal dance?

Close to him, his hand on her waist, moving slowly to the sound of the music…

Out of both guilt and embarrassment at picturing someone other than Aang dancing with her like that, she blushed even deeper. She gave him an answer before she realized it. "Okay."

"Good."

He smiled at her for the first time that night and Katara couldn't handle it. Turning her torso, she threw her feet over the side of the couch. As she stood up, she couldn't avoid the way her thigh brushed against his. Why was he sitting that close to her anyway?

She hastily grabbed the book from the small table and walked over to the bookshelf, then quickly scanned for the open spot she pulled it from earlier.

"Are you going to bed?"

"Yes."

"You can take the book with you if you want." His tone of voice made her pause her search. It was low; very different from what she was used to hearing. The way it hummed against her ears didn't feel right - it made her heart flutter against her chest a little too quickly. "Or you could come here and read," he added. "It's quieter than the rest of the palace."

"I don't want to bother you when you're busy."

"You won't."

"Aren't you sick of me already? We see each other all day long practically."

"I could never get sick of you," he said softly.

Katara's chest felt like it was burning and she closed her eyes in an attempt to control her rising heart rate. Why was Zuko saying those things? This- none of this felt right.

She opened her eyes again when she heard the light padding of footsteps approaching before a very faint shadow cast over her from behind. An open palm appeared next to her and she froze, confused. However, when she remembered she was looking for the spot the book belonged, she understood what the gesture meant.

Uncomfortable with it, but knowing she'd be even more uncomfortable if she refused, she slowly handed him the book. He instantly slid it into the spot it belonged, but in order to do that, he had to step a little closer to her.

Stepping into her personal space again for the second time that night - what was wrong with him? More, what was wrong with her? She could move if she wanted to, but it was as if the heat coming from his chest froze her to the spot. It was so distracting – so hard to think about anything else.

Already feeling flustered and on edge, she was practically thrown into shock when his hand pulled back and did something else. With widened eyes, she turned to him just as he turned away from her, heading back to the couch. It could have simply been the air that swirled between them as he stepped away, but she swore she felt the faintest stroke against a lock of her wavy hair.

Zuko said something to her, but Katara barely heard him.

His golden eyes locked with hers. "Katara?"

She blinked, coming out of the daze she didn't realize she was in. "What?" she asked with a swallow.

"I said I'll be gone tomorrow, maybe the next day too."

"Why?"

"There's some business I need to take care of."

"Where are you going?"

"It doesn't matter. I have to leave unexpectedly sometimes. Everything that was planned-"

Whatever explanation he was trying to give her was suddenly lost on her. She may be a little out of it, but she wasn't so far gone that she missed the way he spoke in the same exact tone he used when he refused to tell her about his illness. "Why won't you tell me where you're going?" she interrupted.

"It's not really that important."

"If it's not, then why keep it a secret?"

He hesitated. "Please don't ask me that."

She blinked in surprise. She knew it was foolish to be as taken aback by those words as she was, but considering all that happened lately, she felt as if there were no more secrets he was keeping. What a strange idea it was for her to think there were none. Still, it hurt to not be trusted with whatever it was he was hiding. It only led to problems the last time he did that.

"Is everything alright?"

"Everything's fine. Just-" he bound and unbound his fists. "I don't want to talk about it. I just want you to know I'm going to be gone."

His white lie of an answer drained her in more ways than one. The argumentative fire he lit felt instantly extinguished. Where was her energy to continue pressing for the truth? Never in her life was she in short supply of that. However, this barrier she could suddenly feel between them made her want to leave. Whatever genuine atmosphere was there before slipped away so easily. "Okay," she gave in.

Katara slowly headed towards the archway, which she didn't realize until she was a few steps away that Zuko was in her path of.

"Are you leaving?"

"Yes, I'm going to bed."

He put a hand out to the side of him to stop her. She could have easily dodged it, but halted her steps instead.

"Wait." Zuko's mouth hung open in hesitation, but Katara's ray of hope that he was going to spill his secret willingly died out when he finally spoke. "Never mind. I'll see you when I get back."

"I'll see you then," Katara said as she looked forward again. Only, Zuko's hand was still blocking her. She waited for him to drop it, but, like every other strange thing he did that night, he did not right away. Avoiding the act of looking up at him with questions in her eyes, she stared at his hand instead.

With a low sigh and a look of complete confliction, he eventually pulled it back and curled his fingers at his side.

Pulling at her now cold robe again, Katara left his study without another word.

* * *

A/N: Lots of plot Easter eggs in this chapter. I'm sure the veteran readers picked up on a few. What do you guys think of that book Katara was reading? ;)

Katara is swimming in one deep pool of denial and confusion. I hope I didn't disappoint too many with how she feels toward Zuko, but, any way you put it, she's always going to be harder to win over than Zuko with Aang in the picture. Besides, what fun would the spirits be if they were already head over heels for each other?

Don't worry guys, Katara's indifference won't disappoint here pretty soon. In fact, it makes things a little more interesting…


	12. Heal the Scars and Change the Stars

A/N: It was a longer wait than usual for this chapter than it should have been! I'm sorry! My schedule shouldn't be as crazy for future updates.

Responses:

25Carin: You're welcome!;) sylah808: Personally, I've always enjoyed the story that brings the romance more than the romance itself. Slow burns DO make for great reading experiences. Retired Spirit of the Ring: Eh, I can't help it... :( Plot holes are the bane of my writing-existence. Thanks for sticking with this even with a busy schedule. I know how that goes.

TheLastDigidestined: The book sounds pretty interesting, doesn't it? ;) VengefulGeyzer: His secrets are running out. Katara's rather good at digging them up... Sophie: Thanks for pointing that out. It's a bad habit of mine to throw in more words than necessary. I went back and knocked off 500 words after reading your review. nevertalk: Hey now, I don't know that much about kids. I'd rather chew on a stick than a flower petal lol. InItToWinIt: Juicy details are dropping like flies in this revision. Thanks for noticing!

fan fan: Good! I think they're for the better. waking-up-with-happiness: The book had its time...Zuko can be so awful sometimes lol. And that book? Why yes it does have something to do with the title ;) DK009: I don't know why I didn't think of Suki to be the one to tell Katara at first. It fits so much better. Glad you like the new stuff!

xXOceanXx: The Water Tribe book scene is one of my favorites. If I were to ever meet Zuko face to face, he'd probably yell at me for putting him in so many awkward situations lol. LadyFey: Yes, Shyu is the same guy from the show - now the High Sage in this story. starry-eyed: It's a good thing Katara's so adamant to find out those secrets!

EternalFire1984: We're only a few chapters away from the spirit world breech! Setup is nearly complete! AndressaGabs: Thank you for your review. Katara's more flawed than most people realize, I think, and you're right - it does make her more amazing as a character.

Guests and Anonymous' (not sure how to respond to everyone with identical names...): Thank you for the reviews! :)

Enjoy!

Disclaimer: No own, no sue.

* * *

 _Chapter 12_

 **Heal the Scars and Change the Stars**

...

 _A glowing blue light in front of Katara slowly diminished until the shadows of the dim room were all that reflected from the healing water. The old, withered hands holding it did not immediately pull back, and kept still over the sickly man's chest. The dismay in the hesitation was palpable._

 _It was only when Katara looked up to the older woman's face did she move. With brief eye contact, Katara could very easily read the disheartening thoughts going through the other's head. Without realizing it, she started rubbing her sore wrists and her eyes fell back down on the unconscious Fire Sage lying before them._

 _The woman next to her was the most renowned healer in the Northern Water Tribe. She far surpassed Katara when it came to skills with healing, and, among the world's greatest healers, she was seen a matriarch in many ways. She was the best they had – that's why Katara asked her to come when frantic messengers ran up to her that morning, begging for her help, with the news of what was happening to the Fire Sage's._

 _Yet, even the world's greatest healing hands had no effect._

" _Any change?" asked a voice behind them._

" _None at all," the elder answered quietly._

 _After a quiet moment, the man sat in a chair next to them and covered his eyes with a grimace and absolute hopelessness._

" _We'll keep trying," Katara said quickly. "There are others things we can do. We can…"_

 _She trailed off into a tense silence when she found she couldn't finish that sentence. She didn't know what words to use that weren't already spoken._

 _The man next to them, one of the many acolytes in the temple, leaned forward to rest his head in his fists. As he did, it gave Katara a clear view of the rest of the room. All of the Fire Sages and other notable spiritualists were still lying comatose in the cots they were moved to earlier that morning. Various healers, attendants, and a few more waterbenders walked around with lowered heads and grim expressions on their faces._

 _Katara's face twisted with worry, and she felt a hand rest over hers a second later. The woman next to her sighed and squeezed lightly. It was a bid for reassurance, but it only worsened her feeling of helplessness._

" _Spirits, help us," said the acolyte, "What is going on here?"_

Katara slowly closed the book on her lap and let out a long breath as the memory faded to the back of her mind. Sitting up a little higher, she rubbed her sore neck and winced when she realized her wrists were still stiff with the same kind of pain.

She set the book on the cushion next to her, not intending to open it again. The memories of the day refused to leave her alone and nothing, not even the interesting story, could distract her.

She leaned against the back of the couch, folding her arms and resting her head on them. The open window next to her brought in a fresh, cool breeze and offered a clear view of the blue-streaked sky above. If she blocked out everything around her and focused on nothing but the sky and the chilled summer air, she could almost convince herself she was back home.

However, beauty was deceiving, and the comfort the lights once brought was gone completely. She now fully believed the others going on about how they were a bad omen.

They needed to disappear and take the illness they most likely were causing with them.

She closed her eyes wishing for sleep, but knew it was impossible to rest in her current state; worry wasn't the only thing keeping her up. Hidden behind the streaks in the sky was a full moon, and the reason she was in Zuko's empty office instead of her own bed after such a long, draining day.

She sat unmoving for a while, listening to the sound of her heartbeat and the wind, but in a moment of stillness from both, she heard something else. She wasn't quite sure if it was real, and part of her just wanted to blame in on the fact that she was highly attentive during this time of the lunar cycle, but the distinct sound of running water caught her attention.

This part of the palace wasn't near any of the multiple gardens she had already probed many times over, and so she wasn't quite sure where the sound was coming from…

Katara was up, closing the window, and walking out of Zuko's office before she knew it.

She thought she could go without practicing her waterbending this time around, but it appeared old habits die hard. As tired as she was, the itch to move water around at her command was hard to ignore on nights like this.

Besides, the book wasn't working for her. Perhaps waterbending was what she needed in order to get the much-needed mental rest from her uselessness at the temple, and the debilitating worry it brought with it. Another day of failure, another day of being unable to help those in pain, and another day of hoping with all she had that Aang was not in the same state the Fire Sages now were, stranded and unconscious in the middle of nowhere.

The gut-wrenching feeling of not knowing what she was supposed to do made her run a hand over her face with a low groan.

Completely wrapped in her thoughts and not paying attention to where she was going, Katara was nearly knocked to the ground when she turned a corner and slammed into someone's chest. The man she hit grabbed her arm to keep her from falling back but immediately let go as soon as she was upright.

"I'm sorry," she said quickly, "I didn't mean to bump into you."

The man straightened, then reached up to adjust his collar. Katara thought she saw a very dark, nasty look on his face for a moment, but it was gone a second later and replaced with a stoic expression. "Excuse me, miss, but unauthorized people are not allowed to wander these halls."

He was one of Zuko's generals. It was easy to tell by the way he was dressed in their signature attire, and Katara also recognized him from the various political meetings they had. "Why is that?" she asked, looking to the hall around them. However, she answered her own question when she recognized the area. She was only there once before, but she could tell she wandered into the royal family's part of the palace.

The general eyed her for a moment, but then sighed and wrapped his arms behind his back. "My apologies, I didn't recognize you right away, Ambassador Katara."

"It's fine, General…?"

"Xuehin."

"General Xuehin," Katara said with a nod, then looked around again, "I didn't realize I was in the personal wing. I can leave."

"You may stay. The young ambassador has been granted explicit permission to come and go here as she pleases, or so I was told."

"Eh- me?"

The general frowned. "There is only one woman as young as you walking around with the title Ambassador attached to her name."

She was a little taken aback with embarrassment. "What I meant was why did Zuko do that – grant me permission?"

"Shouldn't I be asking you that?" His cordial words betrayed the completely unamused tone he was using, and Katara sensed there was something else hidden in his voice. Annoyance? Disinterest? Curiosity? It was hard to tell.

"Zuko never mentioned that to me. I don't know why I have a free pass here."

"It's an honor more than most are afforded," he drawled. "If I may ask, what _are_ you doing here, Ambassador?"

"I'm looking for something."

"At this hour of night?"

"Yes," she said simply.

"Zuko is not here."

"I know, and I believe I said 'something' not 'someone'."

He raised his eyebrow and tilted his head. "I suppose you did."

They stared each other down for a few seconds before Katara looked past him. "Excuse me."

Before she could take a step, Xuehin spoke quickly, "If you are looking for a new place to read, you'll be better off staying in Zuko's office. The seats here are hard and uncomfortable."

Surprise kept her still at first, but soon Katara's skin crawled at his words. Her eyes narrowed when the thought of how he knew that in the first place crossed her mind. She didn't like him, whoever this creepy, rude general was.

"What makes you think I've been reading?"

"Very little goes on in this palace without me knowing about it."

"I find it a little odd a busy, important man like you is wasting his time watching people read." She made a point to throw in a hint of disgust in that jab.

He laughed in a single huff. "Anyone who makes such an…impact here catches my curiosity."

"What do you mean 'impact'?"

"What indeed." He adjusted his already-straight collar again and walked past her, continuing on his way as if they weren't in the middle of a conversation. However, as Katara glared at his back for his rudeness, he halted without turning around. "Whispers can be a dangerous thing. I'd tread carefully around here if I were you, _Water Tribe girl_."

When she was alone again in the hall, Katara shook her head in disbelief. That sounded an awful lot like a threat to her. However, she couldn't bring herself to care. Her patience for politics was at an all-time low.

This place – this toxic 'viper pit' as Zuko called it – never ceased to surprise her. She was suddenly too fed up to worry about a sour general's 'warning' (that was probably just his way of marking his territory, anyway), and chalked the encounter up to another strange event she was pulled into while on her trip.

With a sigh, Katara turned back the way she was headed and continued on.

* * *

Zuko dismissed the guards behind him as they neared the end of the back entrance to the palace. A couple were a little hesitant to follow his order, but turned and left him alone when he gave the order again in a cold tone.

He thought the solitude would help him.

He was wrong.

Tightening his fists, he turned to his breathing to give that a try. He expected at least some of the stress from the day would leave with each exhale, but the forced steady breaths only seemed to fuel the raging thoughts in his head, making them grow louder and louder until he could do nothing but grab at his hair in frustration.

He pushed open the heavy gate in front of him. It flew back and a few creaks and snaps sounded from the hinges, indicating the force he used probably busted it. He didn't care, though. His cool exterior disappeared as he stomped furiously into the secluded garden. However, he halted when the hand grabbing his hair now pressed firmly over his scowling face.

He couldn't take it anymore.

Something cracked in Zuko, and all the rage he kept suppressed broke loose in an instant. He turned and threw a massive flame to the side of him while yelling in frustration. The flame disappeared before hitting anything important, but it did graze a few pots and gardening tools. Whatever liquid was in those pots quickly caught fire and exploded. Zuko stumbled back at the shock of the heatwave as the fire lit up the wooden canopy next to it, now completely out of his control.

The roaring flames only threw him into more of a raging mood, and he swore with every ounce of his honor that he was going to find the careless fool who left the pile there and banish him from the capital.

As Zuko glared at the now out of control fire quickly burning through the canopy, a shadow was cast over him. He looked up in time to see a wave of water descend on the flames, putting them out instantly and leaving nothing but steam, smoke, and the sound of singeing wood in the air.

Zuko whipped around to find Katara standing with her hands lifted above her, watching him with wide eyes and surprise. Still angry and now flustered, he scowled at her. How or why she was standing around in his private garden at the current hour didn't even cross his mind. He really, _really_ needed to be alone and the one person that was going to get in the way of that most was now less than a few strides away.

Before he could even try to calm down or think properly, he said, "What are you doing here?"

She was obviously taken aback by his tone. Furrowing her brow, she gestured to the pond and the stone waterfall attached to it. "I came to see the water…Zuko, are you okay?"

"I'm fine," he snapped. He started to head towards the sliding doors. If he didn't get some solitude to calm himself down, he was going to destroy something. That, or take his toxic mood out on her.

"No, you're not. You just set that canopy on fire!"

"I'm going to bed, alright? I'll talk to you tomorrow."

"Don't just dismiss me like that! You've been gone all day and this is how you act now that you're back?

"I need sleep."

He grit his teeth when Katara stubbornly followed from behind, keeping up with his pace easily.

"Hey! What's going on with you? Did something happen?"

Zuko suddenly froze on the spot. Her nagging was the last thing he needed right now, and just what he was worried about not a moment ago happened. His anger sparked in the wrong direction; right at Katara, and he glared at her over his shoulder in spite.

She was wearing that stupid, tight robe that was cut up either side of her legs, showing more bronze skin than he could take in with just one look. Her fists were bound and she had a fierce scowl on her face to match his own. The challenging expression didn't sit well with him at all. He was honestly on the verge of saying 'to hell with it', grabbing her and harshly taking those frowning lips just to distract himself from the events of the day, and to shut her up.

He turned around and threw his hand through the air as he yelled, "Why do you always have to know?!"

To his surprise, she didn't answer back right away. Some of her scowl disappeared as she looked down and folded her arms. When the silence stretched on without a word from either of them, Zuko huffed. It was none of her damn business, but he was suddenly feeling bad and like he owed her an explanation for some odd reason.

"I went to see my father today. Are you happy now?"

"Your father?" Surprise flashed through her eyes. "Why did you go see him?"

"I-" he fumbled. He grabbed his face in frustration, not able to finish the sentence. When he met her eyes again, a sudden sense of urgency took over him. "Why did you do it?"

"What are you talking about?"

"The man who killed your mother - why did you let him live?"

Katara blinked, completely blindsided by the sensitive subject and not understanding where this was coming from all of a sudden. If anyone else asked her that question the way Zuko just did, she would have gotten angry and walked away, warning them that it was none of their business to know. Who deserved to be told such an intimate secret with a ruthless demand like that?

Yet, in a way, it _was_ Zuko's business. He was the one who stood next to her watching as she nearly took the life of a man responsible for causing her unimaginable heartache. He was one of the few in this world that had ever seen her in such a raw state without cowering back. That experience was just as much his as it was hers.

Her voice lowered in uncertainty. "I thought you already knew why."

"No, what I heard was more Aang's explanation than yours. Why didn't you kill him? I know you were only a second away from doing it, but you stopped. Why?"

"…what does this have to do with your father?"

He didn't answer and looked away.

Deciding not to push it, she started slowly, "I hated that man. I still do, but Aang was right. When it came right down to it, revenge wasn't what I needed. It was just closure of seeing him and learning the kind of person he was. He was so empty and pathetic. When I saw that, I just lost the willpower to do it."

Zuko sighed, frustrated. He knew she was going to say that. Maybe he should have asked 'how' and not 'why'. _How_ she was able to stop at the last moment and not go through with it. _How_ she was able to stay away and not go back and finish the job. The same anger and confusion he saw in her back then was what he was feeling right now.

She unfolded her arms and she didn't seem as upset as she was a moment ago. "Why did you ask me that?"

He fidgeted slightly. "I don't know. It's just been on my mind today."

"Did something happen with your father? Is that why you left last night – why you're so upset?"

This was a bad situation.

Something about her willingness to listen got to Zuko. His normally 'mind your own business' attitude was suddenly flipped around. He never wanted to talk about the visits with his father! Ever! It never led to anything other than more rage and frustration! And today – today was unlike any other before. If there was a time in his life when keeping things bottled up and secret was the best thing to do, it was definitely right now.

But this itch to suddenly speak his mind was damn near overpowering.

"He asked to see me today. It's why I left last night. He wanted to strike a deal with me for some information."

"What kind of information?"

"The whereabouts of my mother." Zuko paced back and forth for a moment. "He knows where she is and he won't tell me. No matter what I do or offer, he won't tell me."

"Your mother?" she asked lowly as if it was meant only for herself. "What kind of deal did he want?"

"It wasn't really a deal. He asked for his freedom, but he wasn't serious about it. He knew I'd never allow that. I guess he was bored in his prison cell because he just wanted to rub in my face again that he had what I wanted. I've been going to him a lot over the past few years to try and get him to just let it go. What's worse is I've finally figured out why he won't tell me. It's just a power game with him. It's the only thing he has to use against me and he knows it! That's the last shred of control he has over me and he flaunts it in my face knowing I can't do anything about it because of that damn secret!"

"That's why you're angry..."

"Angry? I'm furious!" he yelled and had to stop himself from throwing another flame. "I can't believe the only thing I've felt towards him is pity since the war ended. I should hate him – no…no, I _do_ hate him. Why did it take all this time for me to realize that?!"

He wasn't looking for an answer to that question, but Katara gave him one anyway. "He's your father, Zuko."

"I don't care that he's my father anymore! I've done nothing but play his games the past few years. I've been such a pushover – I've given in to so much it makes me sick to even think about it right now!"

Zuko grabbed at his hair again as he continued to pace and spiral out of control. "I almost killed him today. Something was just _different_ today and I almost lost it. I couldn't stand his taunting anymore. The way he was looking at me like I was nothing but dirt and talking down to me – I swear, that secret is the only reason I didn't walk out of that prison with his blood on my hands."

Zuko fumed for another moment, somewhat unaware of the amount of time that passed in silence. However, when he did notice the stillness in the air, it dawned on him exactly what left his mouth during his rant.

' _Wait…did I really just say that out loud?'_

It was already enough of a blunder that he came that close to wanting to take his father's life, but to admit something so abhorrent without thinking to Katara of all people…

Zuko slowly turned to look at her. For a fleeting moment, embarrassment took over him, and he was expecting to see the same kind of disappointment on her face that would have been on Aang's had he let that slip to the Avatar. His rage was nearly consumed with regret when she tore her widened eyes away from him, briefly giving him a look he knew he fully deserved.

He tilted his head downward. "I must sound like some sort of monster to you."

"You don't."

"You're lying."

"No, I'm not, Zuko," she said calmly. "I can't say I know what you're going through, but I've been there."

"I don't know why told you any of that. I didn't mean to say it…"

"It sounds like you needed to, though."

Katara _was_ surprised by his words, and she wasn't quite sure what to think about them. She fully believed that the idealistic man in front of her was at peace with the fate of his family because of the decisions they made, but it appeared she was fooled by the façade he put up just like everyone else was.

Zuko had gone through more the past few years than she thought, especially if it was only now he was admitting to what he just said. Her life since the war had seemed so easy and uplifting compared to what Zuko had been dealing with.

He may have been a terrible parent and tyrannical ruler, but to want his own father dead? She could only imagine the things that happened to drive him towards that.

The sound of creaking wood filled the air and both of them turned to see one of the canopy's singed pillars crack in half, falling to the ground. Zuko sighed at the damage he caused, and Katara kept her attention on him.

"I'm sorry, Zuko," she said quietly. "I had no idea your father was putting you through that."

He hung his head and didn't say anything.

She continued, "Does Azula know where your mother is?"

"No, she doesn't. Ozai never told her, even when she was blindly devoted to him. He's never going to tell anyone."

She slowly walked up next to him and moved her eyes back to the smoking canopy. She felt the need to reach out to him and offer a comforting touch, but nervously ignored the impulse and clasped her hand over the other. "You asked me why I didn't do it?"

He finally looked down at her.

"I've thought a lot about it over the past few years more. Now, my reason has changed a little from what it used to be."

"How so?"

"I don't know what kind of person I'd be today if I'd gone through with it."

"Tch," he scoffed, "Probably the same kind I almost became, or maybe one I already am."

"You made the choice to walk away, didn't you? Just like I did back then."

"Unlike you, it wasn't morals that kept me from doing it."

"Morals? You say that like it was easy for me to just leave my mother's killer behind. Walking away and staying away was the hardest thing I've ever done."

It was not a good time for him to fall silent again. After telling him something like that, she expected some sort of reaction other than him biting his cheek and periodically clenching his fists.

"What kind of bargain did he want today?" she asked.

"…"

Katara looked away awkwardly as a very sudden, distinct feeling that she was no longer welcome there filled the air. "Actually," she added, "never mind. You don't have to tell me…"

They were both still for a few minutes as they continued to stare at the smoking canopy. Katara waited for him to do something through the silence. Anything other than just stand there with a blank expression.

' _He obviously doesn't want to talk to me.'_

With a sigh, she reached out and put a hand on his arm and gave him a light, comforting squeeze. "I'm sorry you had a long day, Zuko. I know you want to be alone right now. I'll leave you, but…if you ever need to talk about it, just come find me."

Zuko looked down at her in time to see her offer one last smile before turning away. It didn't come close to reaching her eyes at all. It was nothing like the warm smiles she usually gave him. The moment her hand slipped from his arm, his eyes widened in slight alarm.

Those words should have given him relief. He wanted to be alone, no, he _needed_ it. He already took things too far with telling her such a degrading secret, and he feared if he opened his mouth again, he was going to say something that would make her turn away from him completely.

Though, her absent touch that gave him more relief than he expected was gone, and her figure grew smaller the closer she got to the sliding doors. With each step she took further away from him, the more the quiet peacefulness of the garden became less and less what he really wanted.

Katara was taking something with her as she walked away; something Zuko found he didn't want to be without right now. He reached his hand out. "Wait."

She stopped and looked back at him.

"You don't have to go," he said quietly.

"It's getting late and you-"

He shook his head at whatever excuse she was trying to give him. "Will you stay?" he interrupted.

She hesitated. "Okay."

She waited expectantly, but now that he had her, he wasn't sure what to say. He supposed he could continue ranting about his father and make an effort to keep it simple. Yet, the fire to continue feeding his anger was diminishing.

Normally, after a visit, Zuko was in a bad mood for days after the fact and knew full well he wasn't pleasant to be around. Today was worse – far worse than it ever had been, and so he was shocked to find the rage nearly extinguished, especially after just getting back.

If anything, he was feeling more downcast.

Zuko walked over to the edge of the pond and sat down, not knowing what else to do. He briefly looked to the rocky waterfall that was recently installed. It was small, and the way it was designed made it so the water fell into the large pond quietly. The few ripples it caused were briefly illuminated when they reflected off the lantern lights.

He feigned interest in the water in front of him, but made sure Katara didn't leave the corner of his eye. He had a sudden fear that if she left him out there, she'd take the calmer air with her.

He was fully aware of the tension in the air his silence was causing, but he wasn't going to do anything about it. He didn't feel the need to talk, and just wanted to enjoy this unexpected peacefulness while it lasted.

Katara walked up and sat next to him on the grass. Zuko couldn't help but steal a quick glance at her legs when she leaned forward to dip her fingers in the pond. They moved back and forth slowly and didn't disturb the fish below.

"Tell me about your mother," she said, breaking the silence.

He was thoughtful for a moment, but Katara seemed to misunderstand his hesitation. "If it's alright with you," she added.

"It's fine. I'm just not sure what to say. I haven't talked about her in a long time." He was quiet again until he found the right words to describe someone so dear to him. "She's nothing like Azula or Ozai. She was always kind to everyone. I don't know how else to explain it other than she was just _good_."

"You took after her, then."

"More than my father, I hope."

"What did she look like?"

"Azula. Except, she never glared at people the way my sister does." He leaned his arms over his knees. "She was so different from other people around here."

"I hope I get the chance to meet her someday."

He appreciated hearing her say that. Someday. It meant she was still within reach…

"Me too. I think she'd like you."

"Why?" she asked with a small smile.

"Well, I guess it's because you remind me of her in some ways. You would probably get along well." A couple of fish swam up to Katara's fingers that were still swirling around in the water. Zuko wished he had a small bag of food pellets to give her to feed them. Katara might enjoy something like that…

"She loved this garden. She spent a lot of time out here."

"My mom loved being outside, too," she said. "There isn't much to see in the South Pole like there is here, but if I ever wanted to find her I just had to step out the door."

Zuko actually managed a small smile at that, then spoke again of his mother. The usually guarded words started flowing much easier than he expected. He told Katara how she was an honest woman and the many different ways she'd prove that to people. Katara listened - actually _listened_ without bringing up her disappearance, his father, or any other painful part of remembering her.

She asked questions here and there and continued to speak of her own mother whom, Zuko realized, was a lot like his own.

He knew a little about Katara's circumstance, just as much as she knew about his, but they never sat down with each other to talk about it. They were unsteady friends by the time they found the Southern Raiders, and something so personal was never brought up again until now.

It was the kind of conversation he felt he couldn't have with anyone but her. Her blue eyes looked up at him with a silent understanding he was sure would be impossible to find anywhere else in this world.

Only with her…

Only her…

* * *

Katara finally pulled her hand from the water and rested it on her lap. The water swirled for a moment longer before it stilled and the ripples faded.

The night air was quiet, as it had been for a while now. Neither of them were uncomfortable with it, though, and were at ease with the stillness. Zuko knew it was nearing midnight and he could see the way her eyes were starting to droop. He hoped she wasn't about to tell him she had to leave.

He certainly didn't want this to end.

They had talked for nearly an hour about something he never brought up with anyone, not even his uncle. He realized with sadness near the end of their discussion that he'd only tied pain and hatred to thoughts of his mother these past few years. It was toxic for him to think about her because he'd only end up angry afterward. It saddened him to admit he'd taken thoughts that were supposed to be comforting and turned them into some sort of venom for himself.

If it weren't for the way Katara spoke so animated about her mother, and if she didn't coax almost every word of his own from him, he probably would never have realized what he did.

When she looked up at him, he realized he was staring and looked down at the water. "Are you going to be alright?" she asked.

She surprised him when she reached out to touch his arm again. He could feel the warmth of her hand through his clothes and he hoped she couldn't see the things it suddenly did to him.

"Do you ever stop worrying about people? About me?" His other hand slowly snaked across his lap and stopped just an inch away from her own.

"No. Someone around here has to."

"You don't think I can take care of myself?" The question didn't have an ounce of annoyance in it. He was genuinely curious.

She smiled lightly and shrugged. Her hand was still touching him, and making it hard for him to concentrate.

"Don't worry about me. I'll be fine," he said.

"You make it hard for me to believe that, Zuko."

He jeered lightly, "You can't think I'm _that_ hopeless."

"Maybe I do. You can be so negative sometimes. I'm almost afraid to leave you here alone."

"Feel free to stay the night with me, then."

For once, he actually meant that in an innocent, humorous way. Though, he had to admit that didn't sound like a joke. Apparently, Katara thought the same. Her puzzled blue eyes stared up at him, and Zuko had to look away awkwardly to avoid them. Of course she had to catch on the one time he accidentally flirts with her.

Then again, he couldn't admit those words were untrue.

Who could blame him for a slip-up? She was sitting so close to him, she was still touching him by her own choice, she _wanted_ to be here with him at this hour. Just like the previous night as he watched her sleep just an arm's reach away from him, he felt his chest constrict at the unfairness of it all.

He already felt raw from opening up a part of him he thought he'd keep locked away for the rest of his life. She coaxed it out all on her own and now he was left…vulnerable? Exposed? Was that it? What that what this painful, needy feeling washing over him was about?

He just wanted to feel something. He wanted her to touch more than just his arm. He wanted to feel _her_.

Zuko braved a look at Katara, wondering how he was supposed to get himself out of the hole he just jumped into. Even in the low light, he could see she was blushing fiercely, but her eyes didn't cower away from his.

And just like that, he was lost.

His heart was beating faster and the hand he didn't realize he was lifting was shaking ever so slightly. He looked to a lock of her dark brown hair on her shoulder and slowly reached out for it. Warmth met the back of his fingertips as he hesitantly brushed across the strand.

Barely able to stop himself, he tested for a reaction from her, but the only thing she did was stiffen and halt her breathing.

What he noticed the most was the way she didn't tell him no, or the way she didn't stop him when he moved up and across her shoulder. When he reached her neck, he felt her jolt in response to the shiver his touch caused.

He wrapped his hand around her and leaned in.

Panic flashed through Katara and she was so completely and utterly caught off guard that she couldn't move. The only thing she could do was watch as Zuko get closer to her. However, the moment she felt the warmth from his face, her eyes widened and she turned her head just as Zuko's lips were about to meet hers.

Katara stared at the ground and swallowed hard. Zuko froze and the five seconds it took for him to take his hand from her neck and pull away were the longest five seconds of Katara's life.

Her heart was hammering in her chest and she didn't dare look at him as he shuffled away from her. When she finally remembered to breathe, Katara was stunned to silence. It was like that night all over again, the night she foolishly thought Zuko was going to kiss her.

But this time she _knew_. And she couldn't believe it.

' _He…he really-'_

It felt like ice in her veins when he touched her shoulder again, though, this time it was with nothing but hesitation. "K-Katara, I-"

Katara jumped to her feet and took a few steps back, still refusing to look at his face. Her blush was so intense she felt she could drown in it. How was she supposed to handle a situation like this? A situation like this with…with Zuko!

She picked the only response she could think of.

"It's getting late," she said a little shaky. "I'll uh- see you tomorrow."

She was halfway to the palace doors before Zuko realized what was going on. He was on his feet and following her before reality dawned on him and made him stop mid-step. The shock was overpowering, but the sting of her rejection was a harder blow than he ever imagined it would be. Of course she was running away from him. He didn't know why he expected anything else!

He grabbed his forehead and clutched hard. _'Damn it! What was I thinking?! What- what have I done?!'_

He just ruined everything. He knew it from the start this would happen if he ever tried, and he went ahead and did it anyway. He crossed a line he knew he should have gotten close to!

He needed to apologize and beg for her forgiveness before it was too late – if it wasn't already. He started to walk towards the doors again to follow her, but, again, his steps froze in fear. He had to give her an apology and explanation, but he wasn't sure what another rejection from her might do.

Zuko lifted the hand he touched her with and hissed a curse.

' _I'm such a fool.'_

* * *

A/N: Ugh, this past month was busy. The next updates are going to come out a lot sooner. Promise.

Zuko really didn't think that through. Man, things are only going to get worse for him from now on.


	13. Falling (Part I)

A/N: Wohoo! One of my favorite chapters. Enjoy!

Responses:

EternalFire1984: Thank you! TheLastDigidestined: He is… Any ideas why? ;) VengefulGeyzer: No, it did not. Zuko has a habit of no thinking things through lately. T. : Thanks for understanding. The story is going to be much, much better because of the revision, I believe. sylah808: Let's just say he's not handling it well lol.

TheSylverBlue: That's okay if you don't remember the conversations. It's why I took them out – completely useless haha. maxie202: Thank you! And thanks for reading! 25Carin: Eh, do we go to the same school? Two eight-page papers for me too… I'm sorry to say that Zuko's fate is a dreary but hopeful one as long as I'm writing it.

Rivierra: You know, I wouldn't put it past them, but the answer to your question is a little different. You'll have the answer in the next 3 chapters. Glad you like the tension! DK009: Thank you! :) waking-up-with-happiness: Below the hard skin he's had to grow over the last few years, he's still as vulnerable as ever, you know? LadyFey: You'll get to know more about that book here soon…

fan fan: Stay tuned – the tension is only going to get worse! InItToWinIt: I owe you and all the others who've reviewed twice a box of digital doughnuts. Seriously, thank you. I'd say 'don't worry about Zuko cause things will get better' but…you know. Lila-me: Why thank you! Enjoy the new chapter!

To the guest who asked if waterbenders are so full of energy during a full moon: I have no idea. Katara was tired and I needed an excuse to keep her up until Zuko got back. It seemed like a believable idea.

All other guests/anonymous': Thank you for the reviews! Hope you all like this chapter.

Disclaimer: No own, no sue.

* * *

 _Chapter 13_

 **Falling (Part I)**

…

Iroh often missed his teashop when he came back home to the Fire Nation. He missed his friendly customers, the calming atmosphere, and the rare ingredients he could only get from his neighbor, the merchant who played Pai Sho with him in the evenings occasionally. Yet, though he traveled far from his sanctuary to visit Zuko a few months every year, the tea was still as wonderful here as it was in his tea shop.

Tea was something Iroh genuinely believed to be one of the greatest remedies to calm a troubled soul, and so even though he was already told 'no, thank you' five minutes ago, he made his offer again. "Zuko, this tea is truly one of a kind. It is mixed with white jasmine and citrus. Your favorite."

His nephew was standing in front of a mirror trying to adjust a stray piece of fabric attached to his rather nice, decorative outfit he would be wearing for the gala later that evening. He wasn't having much luck with it, and his movements seemed mechanical and without precision.

Zuko's normally sharp eyes were drooping, but it was not because of fatigue as someone might think at first glance. Since the moment Iroh arrived two nights ago, he could count on one hand a number of times Zuko smiled and acted anything other than depressed.

When Iroh pointed out his odd behavior the other morning, Zuko said he was tired and that was the end of the conversation. Iroh knew better, though, and spent his time trying to probe Zuko for the truth. Now it was just the challenge of coaxing it out of him without him storming away angry. He may be a man now, but his stubborn temper tantrums had yet to disappear completely.

"I'm fine, Uncle," Zuko said quietly.

Iroh started pouring him a cup anyway.

"Are you still feeling ill? You mentioned in your last letter that you were sick. I was waiting for you to bring it up before I said something, but you've been very quiet."

Zuko hesitated. "I...was sick. I'm fine now, though."

"What was wrong?"

"Can we discuss it another time? I don't really want to talk about it right now."

"That is fine," he said with a sip of tea, "What _do_ you want to talk about?"

"I don't know," he said sullenly. "Nothing."

"I haven't seen you in four months. There must be much you want to say!"

"There really isn't."

Iroh's smile faded and with a small sigh, he set down Zuko's cup in the empty spot across from him. He looked back up when he heard the sound of fine silk tearing. With a perturbed look on his face, Zuko lifted the accidentally torn piece of fabric he was trying to adjust earlier.

Closing his eyes, he pulled it off and let it fall to the floor.

"Come, Zuko," Iroh said calmly, "I can see stress radiating off of you. Set aside the worries that are troubling you for a few moments and drink some calming tea. It will help."

"I'm not troubled," he said while running a hand over his face.

"Yes, you are. Sit."

Zuko didn't put up much more resistance and sat hunched forward in front of Iroh, staring at the hot tea still steaming.

"You've been acting strange the past couple of days. Is it the gala tonight that is bothering you?"

"A little," he admitted.

"If only you weren't royalty, you could go down to the festival in the city. It is much more fun and exciting than talking with nobles all night long."

Zuko let out a small, humorless laugh. "Yeah, that's true."

"Is the gathering all that's on your mind?"

"Yes."

"I have a feeling that is untrue."

"I'm _fine_. I just don't want to go to the gala tonight."

Iroh pressed anyway, "Is it politics that's upsetting you?"

Zuko sighed and shook his head.

"Trouble with other nations?"

Another shake.

"The weather? There _i_ s a nasty storm approaching on the horizon."

"No, Uncle, it's nothing."

"Hm..." He took a long sip of his tea and eyed Zuko over the curve of his cup. He juggled a few more possibilities around and figured he could ask up to two more ideas before Zuko's patience would wear thin. He would have to choose carefully.

A death of a friend? No, Zuko would have told him about that. A problem with one of his generals? No again - that was in the politics realm. Perhaps a dreaded tea allergy? A heartbreaking prospect, but not something to be kept a secret.

 _'What could it be?'_

Just as Iroh finished the internal question, a new thought popped its way ahead of all the others.

"Perhaps you are stressed because of a lady friend?"

He thought the chance unlikely since he was well aware how sour Zuko was when it came to courting these days, so he was more than a little surprised when he saw a very small, frantic look flash through his eyes. "I'm not," he said too quickly.

The last bit of confirmation that what he said was indeed the problem was when Zuko's cheeks reddened slightly.

"What's her name?"

"There is no her! I just told you that's not why I'm stressed!"

Make _that_ the last bit of confirmation. Flustered and snappy (was that denial he was smelling, too?). A woman was definitely the reason for Zuko's behavior.

Iroh hid the smile he couldn't help spreading across his face for two reasons. One, what a blessing it was that he could read his nephew so clearly even with their time spent apart the past few years. And two, it marked a possible end to the loneliness of ruling a nation by himself. Perhaps Lady Mai returned to his life?

"I can see you trying to hide your smile," Zuko said with a frown.

Iroh lowered his cup. "When do I get to meet her?"

"There is no her," he repeated with a groan. He rubbed at the back of his neck harder than necessary.

"Ah, I see." Iroh set his cup down and wrapped his arms over each other.

Zuko's frown deepened. "What is it you think you see?"

"What you don't want to, apparently."

"Huh?"

"Oh, nothing."

Instead of getting angrier and pressing for an answer, Zuko let his frown disappear. When his eyes were back to looking glazed over, he reached down for the cup of tea Iroh made for him.

Iroh looked to the side towards the windows that lined the wall. Through them was the beautiful royal garden Zuko adored. The trees were swaying lightly with just enough wind to make some of the blossoms break and flutter to the ground. "Love is a complicated thing," he said softly.

Zuko stiffened almost immediately just as he was about to take a sip. Iroh turned his gaze back to his nephew when tense moments passed with no sound at all coming from him. What he found was Zuko's eyes and mouth frozen open, stunned in an expression of shock.

He could see something raging in Zuko's golden eyes, looking as though something incredibly painful just pierced through his chest.

Iroh was taken aback by such a look. "Zuko?" he asked, concerned.

Zuko set the cup down, almost spilling it on the small table. With eyes still strained, he stood up.

"Is it something I said…?" Iroh asked.

"Lo-? Why would you say that?"

Iroh blinked a few times in confusion. "Is love not the reason you're acting this way?"

Looking horrified, Zuko's eyes widened and looked towards the garden.

"Perhaps I was mistaken?" he asked, doubting it was the case.

His answer was Zuko suddenly turning his back on him. Before he could reach out to tell him to wait, his nephew disappeared through the sliding door. Iroh's first instinct was to jump to his feet and follow him, but the longer he stared at the closed door, the more he felt that may not help the situation, whatever it may be.

Iroh picked up the untouched tea he made especially for Zuko with a sad frown and took a small sip. "Hm...more complicated than usual, I guess."

* * *

The night had finally come.

The gala and festival to celebrate the end of the war was here and they were kicking it off by filling every street corner with food, décor, and endless entertainment. With such a thrilling atmosphere, even those that did not agree with the reason for the celebration were more than willing to join in with the party and fun.

As the entire area lit up with fading sunlight, one could follow the festivity all the way up to the most notorious spot in the city.

The Fire Palace was always a sight to see on the most common of days, but on this night, it was the pinnacle of Fire Nation luxury and upper-class festivity. From the dark marble staircases to the golden floors to the sparkling chandeliers above, it was something one only heard about in stories and could only experience in their daydreams.

Even among the stoic nobility surrounding Katara, she could see that everyone was infected with the good mood being passed around in the air. Foreigners and locals who usually avoided each other outside of business were starting to mingle with each other in friendly gestures. Every corner of her vision was filled with laughing, bright smiles, and others having a good time.

The very sight of it made her sick.

"There you are," said Sokka as he walked up to her with his son in his arms. "I've been looking for you all night!"

Just as Katara was dressed in most elegant summer-themed Water Tribe dress the seamstress could create, so was Sokka in his equally formal attire. He looked handsome, strong, and every bit the future Chief of the Southern Water Tribe.

Katara didn't respond and continued to glower out the window, ignoring the reflection of other finely dressed people behind her in the large ballroom.

"Why are you hiding over here? You don't look happy," he stated.

"It's because I'm not."

"What's up-?"

"Everyone looks so upbeat and carefree," Katara interrupted.

"I'd hope so. We're celebrating the end of the war."

Katara ignored his sarcastic edge. "None of this feels right. The way everyone's smiling and walking around like there's nothing wrong – it's not right!"

"What are you talking about?"

"I'm talking about what's going on with the Fire Sages and everyone else who's sick! Have you heard the news? Did you hear what the palace's scribe said this morning?!"

Sokka hesitated a moment, then frowned. "Everyone heard, Katara."

"Then why does nobody care?! What's happening to the spiritualists isn't just happening here, it's happening everywhere! They said the lights are appearing all over the world and there are millions sick because of it!" Katara looked to the crowd behind her. "But no one cares! Everyone's just walking around like nothing's going on!"

"Hey, don't raise your voice so loud-"

"I can't believe I'm here right now. I should be out there doing something instead of just _standing_ here partying like everyone else!" She was surprised when Sokka suddenly plopped her nephew into her arms. "Wha-?! Are you even listening to me?!"

"Of course I am, but you need to calm down."

"This isn't going to work," she said as she gestured to the little boy she was holding.

"Yes, it is."

Katara glared at Sokka for a moment before she was distracted when little hands started pulling at the fur on her dress. She watched him play for a moment before his dark green eyes met hers with an adorable little smile.

It should be considered a crime that her brother knew her well. If there was one thing that could calm her down faster than anything else, it was her sweet little nephew. Katara sighed in utter defeat and kissed his little forehead. "This isn't fair, you know," she muttered.

"I know," he said simply, "but you're not really giving me a choice here."

"Hmph."

"Listen, people do care."

Her voice was a few octaves lower than before. "Then why are we here? Why is everyone here partying instead of talking about what's going on?"

Sokka was quiet for a moment as he looked out the window to the horizon before he said, "Would it really make that much of a difference if we dropped everything to talk about it? If we canceled the festival tonight like you want, what is there to talk about that we haven't already discussed?"

Katara found herself at a loss for words and could only blink at him.

"I know this is hard for you. You've been so pent up about it since this morning, but I don't believe dropping everything in a panic to try and solve a problem we've had no luck with so far is going to help."

"But…"

He continued when she couldn't finish, "After tonight, everyone is going to go back to trying to figure out what's going on. No one's forgotten about it, Katara. They just don't know what to do."

It irritated her when she found more logic in his words than she wanted to. She'd admit it to no one, but now that she thought about it, what _was_ she expecting him to say after her rant? She was so frustrated over what people weren't doing that she didn't even bother to come up with an idea of what they should be doing.

The only ideas she could come up with that made sense were strikingly close to what Sokka just said.

"We're both here as diplomats tonight," he said, "I don't know if anyone's told you, but it's a big deal that we attend this. Though, if you're really that bothered by being here, no one's going to stop you if you leave to help out again. I'll tell them you're not feeling well or something."

Katara let out a heavy sigh and pulled her nephew's hand away when he tried to tug at one of the beads in her hair. "Don't bother. I'll stay…"

"It's been a long week, and tonight is only going to last for a couple of hours. Just try to relax for some of it, okay?"

She didn't move.

"Okay?" he repeated.

With another sigh, Katara gave him a dejected nod.

Suddenly, faint music started playing in the background and both siblings turned to the front of the large room. The crowd was larger than before and there were fewer people coming in through the doors.

Her brother frowned at her again with a slightly raised eyebrow. "Listen, I don't want to bring up what we just talked about, but there's something else I wanted to ask you before we both get busy when this thing starts."

"What is it?"

"Is the sickness going around all that's been bothering you? You've kind of been avoiding everyone the last few days and sulking in your room in the evenings."

Katara could only describe what she felt next as something similar to a wave slamming into her chest. Her eyes widened, her heart started beating faster, and she felt the air around her grow thinner all in one second. Caught off guard by his question, she turned away and bit her lip in an attempt to calm down.

Not once in her entire life had she ever experienced such immobilizing anxiety the way she did when she thought about _that night_ ; every time she thought about _him_. And for Sokka to bring it up just as she had successfully gotten it out of her mind-

"Nothing's bothering me. I'm fine," she said as she tried to hide a burning blush spreading across her face, unwelcome and completely out of control.

However, she could tell she was caught when her nephew started reaching out for Sokka and he responded by pulling him out of her arms, getting a perfectly clear view of her face.

"Uh, are you sure?"

"Of course I'm sure."

"…so you don't want to talk about it?" he asked, unconvinced.

" _No_."

Someone said Sokka's name from a little further across the room. Their lead ambassador was waving at him and starting to approach. "Okay, well, I'm going to ask you this again tomorrow if you run and hide in your room for another evening."

"There's nothing to ask because there's nothing to tell."

"Okay, if you say so," he said, still unconvinced. "I gotta go, but come find us and the others once this thing officially starts."

She merely nodded as he walked away. Looking back at her over her brother's shoulder, her nephew smiled at her and gave her a sloppy wave.

When they were out of sight, Katara immediately turned back to the window and ran her hand over her face, wishing it would take away the painful blush with it. She knew making an appearance tonight was important, but…

Maybe she _should_ leave the gala.

La knows the sickness wasn't the only reason she didn't want to be there…

She could go to her room, or to one of the gardens, or even away from the palace grounds if she wanted to run that far. Anywhere was good, she decided, as long as it got her far away from piercing amber eyes; ones that looked at her so intensely a few nights ago right before-

As anxiety crept further up her back, Katara hesitantly looked towards the closest exit. The people coming through were shrinking in number and with the music in the air and the louder multitude of voices behind her, it was a clear enough sign the evening was about to begin.

If she was going to make a choice, it had to be soon.

* * *

' _Love…?'_

The room erupted into a moderate applause the moment a royal advisor paused during his speech. It was compelling and better words could not have been spoken for the occasion. Everyone was reminded of the reason for the celebration, the importance of peace in a world ripped apart by war, and they were all given hope for a better future.

The man continued when the noise died down, but his inspiring words no longer had Zuko's attention.

He stood tall and appeared the proud leader of a nation everyone saw him as, but if one stood close enough, they'd see his stoic expression falter every moment or so as his eyes slowly scanned the crowd. He had already looked in each direction over a hundred times, but still, the woman he was looking for was nowhere to be found.

Time was running out and his escort for the night was still missing.

Though, who could blame her?

" _Love is a complicated thing."_

Uncaring of who would scrutinize him for it, he lightly pinched the bridge of his nose and closed his eyes tight, wishing when he opened them that the night would be over. His composed features were starting to crack. In this drained state, he was not fit to play the role of host to the hundreds of world leaders surrounding him.

The only thing he felt he could do was go back to the royal garden and stare at the spot next to the pond that triggered this unbearable heartache plaguing him.

When his eyelids cracked half-open, there was a blur of blue at the corner of his vision and Zuko's heart leaped into his throat.

The guards let her pass and a few people spoke to her in whispered voices as she approached. What they asked or told her was completely lost on him. Zuko felt he could hardly breathe.

He was stunned by the beautiful woman walking towards him. The elegant blue dress, the white fur lining and accenting her curves, her bare shoulders, her wavy hair accented with beads and wrapped in a messy side-braid – it was so…she was so…

' _So beautiful_ …'

He wasn't sure how long he stared at her. The only thing that brought his senses back to the present were her crystal blue eyes briefly meeting his before she took her place by his side. She was more than an arm's reach away, guarded, and so obviously nervous.

Zuko didn't say a word and neither did she.

After a while, the speech neared its end and one of the last things the royal advisor said was that the evening would start with a Fire Nation tradition. The Fire Lord would dance with the Fire Lady, or in this case, the honored guest Ambassador Katara of the Southern Water Tribe.

As the crowd gave another applause, Katara stiffened next to him. He was afraid she was going to turn her back and run away from him at that moment, but instead she sidestepped closer to him and grabbed his arm.

"Zuko," she whispered nervously, "I don't know this dance."

His attention was trapped on the hand touching him, but he answered right away with a lowered voice, "Don't worry. Just follow my lead and you'll be fine."

He held his hand out in front of her. There was a moment of pause before she took it and he lead her out to the empty floor. Another applause sounded and hundreds of eyes landed solely on them.

Katara was stiff when they made it to the spot they needed to be, and it worsened when Zuko turned to her and touched her waist. When her hand landed on his should as he pulled her closer, Zuko could hear her ragged breathing.

"Relax," he said quietly.

She kept her eyes glued to his chest and didn't look up to acknowledge him, but she sighed and some of the tension lessened.

Music started to play in the background and Zuko began to move to a dance he knew by heart. Katara kept up with him easily. They swayed across the floor to the traditional Fire Nation music, and it wasn't long before crowd around them slowly grew smaller and insignificant.

There was nothing Zuko wanted to think about more than the woman in his arms.

He wished she would look up at him. He wanted to see her blue eyes and the emotion stirring in them as they danced so closely. If there was even the smallest chance she was not as uncomfortable as she was a few moments ago, if there was a chance she was feeling the same way as him right now…

'… _when did want change to need…?'_

He knew she didn't want to talk; he could see it written so clearly on her face, but there were words building in the back of his throat. They were things he knew he shouldn't say…things he wanted to say so badly…

"You look beautiful, Katara," he said quietly.

A blush spread across her face and she looked down at the floor. "Thank you."

"I- part of me didn't expect you to come."

She tensed again.

"Of course I came. I told you I would, and I didn't want to publicly insult you in front of all these people," she said quickly.

"I appreciate it." An apologetic frown spread across his face, and with an even lower tone, he said, "I owe you an apology-"

"Don't," she interrupted.

The sudden awkward air between them, surprisingly, didn't affect him the way he expected it to. However, it certainly got to Katara. Her eyes darted all over his chest and she stole a few glances of the dancefloor next to them, probably wishing she could get away. Trapped in his arms so she couldn't escape what he had to say…Zuko knew he was being unfair.

"Will you forgive me?"

"We are _not_ talking about this right now."

"I'm sorry…"

"Just stop, please."

Her plea came as a strained whisper and Zuko shut his mouth and obeyed. Instead of seeking forgiveness he felt he would die without, he focused on the way she moved against him. He needed more of this – every turn, every subtle blush, every brush against his body.

The dance was something he worked hard to commit to memory. After all, would he ever get a chance like this again?

He knew a memory such as this was only going to cause heartache the moment it ended, but he couldn't help himself. He couldn't stop the way he inched her closer to him after every spin. He wasn't thinking anymore at one point, only feeling, and squeezed her hand lightly while slowly running his thumb across her waist.

" _Is love not the reason you're acting this way?"_

A shiver ran up her back, her lips parted, and she momentarily shut her eyes tight.

Her reaction was clearly not out of disgust.

Zuko's heart rate picked up when he realized she was responding to him. He pulled her even closer until they were chest to chest. Her unending blush worsened and her grip softened in his. He daresay she was weak in the knees, but surely it was his imagination. Something like that was too much to hope for…

If she'd let him, if he knew he wasn't already treading a little too far on dangerous ground, he could do so much more to make her melt in his arms.

' _Love…'_

The music ended too soon.

As Zuko slowed to a stop, her eyes hesitantly looked up to meet his for the first time that night. He took his hand off her waist and loosened their grip until her own hand slipped back down to her side. He stepped back and cold air met his chest where a warm body was just a moment ago.

Zuko gave her a very slight bow, as per tradition. Katara looked completely lost for words and didn't return the gesture. Many would see it as an insult, but it didn't bother Zuko in the slightest. The crowd stirred around them, and more music filled the air.

Katara's hypnotic blue eyes lingered on him for a moment longer before she turned and slowly walked away.

Voices filled the air next to Zuko, but what they were saying was lost on him. He could only focus on the back of a woman he wished he could follow into the crowd, and disappear with for the rest of the night.

The very moment Katara disappeared out of his sight, Zuko knew without a shadow of a doubt he was in love with her.

* * *

A/N: Ah, Zuko's got it bad. He just needed that little nudge from Iroh to realize what's been going on with him. What did you think of the dance? Too hot? Too cold?

See ya next time! ;)


	14. Falling (Part II)

A/N: This chapter is a big one. Hope you like it!

Responses:

25Carin: I'm about 500 miles from where you are. Iroh, I believe, is a lot simpler on the outside than some seem to think. Thank you! Aaliyah92: Katara likes water, so swimming in denial comes naturally lol. DK009: Thank you! Glad you liked it more! Ocean: Are you xXOceanXx? I want to say yes, but I'm not sure. Anyway, I'm not very nice to Zuko, am I?

slylah808: Longing is what I aimed for! waking-up-with-happiness: Iroh's the perfect one to tell Zuko what he needs in life. He knows these : Thank you! Hope you like the new one! nevertalk: The confrontation is in this chapter. Hopefully, it's a good one. starry-eyed: Thank you! :) EternalFire1984: I agree, it's too hot, but that's the way we like those two, isn't it?

jllw: Here's the update. Thanks for reading! dancingmylifeaway: I know it's confusing...I've read fics in the past where writers have gone back and revised before it was finished. Hated it, but now I get what they were thinking. I'm glad you're liking it more, though. fan fan: Thank you! Here's the new chapter! TheLastDigidestined: Glad you liked the dance. Yeah, he owes Iroh lol TinyArtist: Thank you for reviewing every chapter. I loved hearing your thoughts!

3oriole: Glad you like it! :) knd: 'Cinderella feels' I'm stealing that line from you haha. Floooks: I haven't read a whole ton of Zutara fics, but I think this is one of the few with spirits. Hope you like it! SylverB: The conversation was needed. Zuko sure got a wake up call haha.

Enjoy the chapter!

Disclaimer: No own, no sue.

* * *

 _Chapter 14_

 **Falling (Part ll)**

…

General Xuehin was known for his ability to take one look at a person and know what they were thinking or feeling. 'Mind Reader' they called him on occasion, simply because he took the time to decipher body language and motive. Because of this rather easy skill to master, it made him a very hard man to lie to and even harder to fool.

Xuehin turned his torso slightly to feign interest in the alcohol table he was standing next to, but did not take his gaze from the Fire Lord, whom he'd been watching for some time now. The man Zuko had been speaking to not a moment ago, a Northern Water Tribe ambassador, finally bid Zuko farewell after the rather…heated conversation they just had.

Zuko had been unnaturally distant almost the entire evening. Distracted and uninterested, his eyes took to wandering the large ballroom instead of focusing on the guests he was greeting. However, the strange aloofness vanished when the northerner pulled him away for a quiet discussion.

Xuehin suspected that conversation would take place soon, but it surprised even him when the Northern Ambassador cornered him right in the middle of the gala.

They finally made their demand in a not-so-formal setting, and now the young Fire Lord's day was probably ruined.

The General's evening had been rather boring up until witnessing that encounter. Watching Zuko try to calm himself after being provoked in such a way was always an amusing thing.

Suddenly, someone walked up to Xuehin and positioned himself so that he, too, looked like he was just sauntering about. Without sparing a glance, he could identify who it was by the other's short stature, the color of his clothing, and that prideful gate of his.

"I owe you a drink, General," said the man.

With an obvious smirk, he was also watching the now scowling Zuko trying to calm himself down as the ambassador walked away. Judging by his smug tone of voice, he watched the earlier encounter the same as Xuehin did.

The man reached out and offered him a full glass of sparkling wine to which Xuehin ignored by wrapping his arms behind his back. At the insult, the other man frowned, mumbled something, then took a sip of the drink he rejected.

"Your gamble isn't over, General Hai," said Xuehin.

"You're right. This is just another small step, but I'm confident it'll turn out the way I planned."

For the first time in a long time, Xuehin was tempted to childishly roll his eyes. He decided against mentioning that if it weren't for him, things wouldn't have gotten half as far as this. There were very few people that had the ability to get under his skin the way this man did. He really couldn't stand the shorter general in any aspect.

"You did well. However," Hai said as he took another drink, "they weren't supposed to give Zuko the damn vile. Is that what you told that advisor to ask them for when he contacted the tribes?"

"I told him nothing. I merely manipulated the situation so that he'd ask for their help since The Fire Lord would not."

"So he was nothing but a tool in all of this?"

"Precisely."

"The plan did not include Zuko being healed. From my perspective, I could argue that you failed to do the job."

"The _job_ was to get the Northern Tribe to make their demand, and they just did. 'How' does not matter at this point. You received exactly what you paid for."

"Hmph."

Xuehin wondered how it was ever possible that Hai was the one in charge of the northern waters during the war. Like many here, Hai's rebellious nature towards Zuko's reign earned him the privilege of being plucked from his command and brought back to deal with bureaucratic squabbles in the capital.

Also like others here, he had a scheme going to get himself back into his former position.

His master plan was to get the North to start negotiating return of control for the northern ocean. Technically, it was the Water Tribe's, but it had been the Fire Nation's since the start of the war. The tribe wanted it back, and Hai (Xuehin) had been funneling rumors and resources their way in order to get them confident enough to ask for it.

News of Zuko's sickness was the factor that finally made them move forward.

The foolish general was banking entirely on the fact that the encounter they just witnessed was going to escalate into a turf war of sorts, forcing Zuko to send the man with the most experience - the short, idiotic general - back up to the north to deal with it. Regardless of Zuko's friendship with the tribe, asking for something of that magnitude was bold; the Fire Lord had no choice but to tell them no.

Xuehin may be the architect to this joke of a scheme, but the culprit was the short general, and he made absolutely sure that if things took a turn for the worse Hai was the only one going down. After all, Hai's world would end the moment Zuko found out he was one who caused this mess with the Northern Tribe.

Hai turned his attention back to Zuko. "Even though the plan didn't go through flawlessly, we've gotten this far, but," he lowered his voice, "it's not enough."

"That's your problem."

"I want to make it yours now, too. It's obvious I won't be Zuko's first pick when the conflicts break out. I need the other admirals and generals to endorse my campaign to be the Northern Commander again when the time comes. That means they need to choose my word over the Fire Lord's."

"And what is it you want me to do about that?" Xuehin asked, bored.

"Their loyalty to Zuko needs to be shaken. They need to start doubting him; temporarily, at the least." He took another sip of his wine, then puffed his chest out and stuck his nose in the air. "So, how can it be done? How do you shake the loyalty of those toward the world's most powerful man?"

Hai was obviously baiting him - something Xuehin had little patience for - but for the sake of argument he answered his stupid question. "You damage his reputation."

"Hm," he agreed, "but you know as well as I that does not work for anyone. Well, anyone but you."

"Don't play coy with me. You're ruining my evening. Say what's on your mind or leave."

Hai huffed, "Very well, there's a reason I came to you in the first place to get this plan of mine to work. I don't know how you've done it, but you've got eyes, ears, and hands working for you in every inch of the military and far beyond. You are the most powerful information broker I know of."

"Your point?"

"You are the only one that can start a damaging rumor of significant magnitude and make it successful. If it comes from you, people will believe it."

"That's an expensive request."

"Name your price and I will pay it."

Despite his extreme dislike of Hai, he was never one to not consider an opportunity when one presented itself. He may have hesitated, but there was something Hai could offer him that was hard to come by these days...

Truthfully, he knew this exact moment was coming. He knew the man was going to seek out his help again and he already knew what his answer would be. His silence was to solidify that he held all the power in this situation, and to let the other general know it.

"Very well."

General Hai looked at him waiting for the details. When Xuehin did not answer, he snapped, "Well? Spit it out. What's it going to take?"

"A favor."

"What kind of favor?"

"I'll let you know when I need it."

"Fine," he said quicker than Xuehin expected. He wondered if Hai understood what a promise like that could potentially mean. "I want word to spread that Zuko is still sick and that it's affecting his ability to rule."

"No."

"What? You just said-"

"Leave the details to me. Just know it'll be done like your previous request."

He had a look of defiance, but it fell when he decided to back down. "Fine. I'll leave this in your hands."

The two men were silent for a moment before Hai spoke again. This time, his voice lost the groveling edge it previously had. "You knew I was going to come to you for this again, didn't you?"

Xuehin did not answer, and that was enough of a response for the other man. As his face fell into a scowl, General Hai set his empty glass down behind them and began to walk away. Before he was out of earshot, Xuehin spoke, "Know that this is the last time I'll be helping you with this 'scheme'."

He made eye contact with him briefly before Xuehin was left alone again. Turning away, he resumed his watch of the Fire Lord. However, his attention shifted when the crowd behind Zuko opened up enough for the general to peer across the large room. There was a woman staring in his direction, or rather, in Zuko's. It was the Southern Water Tribe ambassador.

His eyes narrowed.

"There are simpler ways to damage someone's reputation…" he said quietly.

That reckless girl, the foreigner who had Zuko wrapped so helplessly around her finger - did he not warn her to tread carefully here?

"A simple whisper is all it's going to take."

* * *

Katara's eyes followed the color trail of the tall, elaborate sculpture all the way to its top. With vibrant hues of red, orange, and gold dominating most of it, it stretched nearly forty feet into the air; looking like an explosion of flames reaching high up into the ceiling. It looked like a roaring flame but, strangely, it had a gentle nature to it.

Had Zuko not told her before, she would have never recognized that this was something only a firebender could do.

The work of art was the centerpiece of the ballroom and had attracted everyone to it at one point, including Katara. She didn't realize she was standing right in front of it until she came out of her mindless daze only a few moments ago.

When the reflection of moving bodies caught her attention, she hesitantly looked over her shoulder and searched through the crowd. She tried to tell herself it was to find her people, who hadn't crossed her path since the start of the evening. However, in reality – in something she refused to acknowledge - it was to spot the tall, red-clad man whom the entire evening seemed to mysteriously revolve around.

She lost track of how many times her heart skipped a beat at the memory of his scarred face so close to hers during the dance. It did again when she couldn't spot him this time around. With a hard swallow, her search ended when her eyes landed on one of the many alcohol tables dotting the room.

Never in her life had she felt wooed the way she did while swaying across the ballroom floor. No dance had ever left her feeling so...undone. It got to her in ways it should not have, and Katara was sick with the feeling of knowing she wasn't going to forget something like that.

Her nerves were wrung so thin that she desperately wished for something, _anything_ , to calm her down. Memories of home didn't work, going through repetitive waterbending stances in her mind didn't help, and thoughts of Aang only made her more of a high-strung mess.

Katara never drank. She thought the stuff was disgusting, but with every passing second of standing there in nerve-racking stillness, it was beginning to look like her only way to find some sort of peace of mind.

With a groan, and feeling indecisive about drowning her worries in a drink, her eyes refocused on the sculpture. A second later, there was an approaching color of blue in the reflection. She thanked her luck for the timing because now, more than ever, she wanted to leave that room. She figured she was there long enough to save face as an ambassador. She could finally bid them all farewell and run back to her room, or anywhere, really. As long as she got away from this place…

Katara turned to see the familiar face of the lead ambassador, but the fake smile she had ready dropped when she realized he was not alone.

She stiffened when Zuko's golden eyes met hers.

Taken by surprise, Katara's thoughts fumbled as the man she'd secretly been stealing glances of all night came to a halt in front of her. She waited for a greeting from Zuko, but he was still and unmoving as he watched her. She grew nervous when he didn't say anything to her until she realized it was because the lead ambassador was already talking.

"I'm sorry. What were you saying?" she asked the older man.

"I asked how your evening was going."

She flicked her eyes to Zuko, then back to the ambassador. "I'm enjoying myself."

"Good," he said with a small smile before he jumped slightly and gestured to Zuko. "Oh, how rude of me. I know you two are already well acquainted, but I have Fire Lord Zuko here with me. We were headed to greet the rest of the tribe. I saw you and thought they would be nearby, but that doesn't seem to be the case."

"I got separated from them. I'm not sure where they're at."

"I see. We'll be taking our leave to keep looking. You should join us."

"I'm...I'll catch up with everyone a little later."

Katara didn't offer an explanation for her decision, and the surprised older man hesitantly nodded before he said, "Alright, but make sure you come by soon. After I chat with your brother, there's something I'd like to speak with you about."

She gave him a nod without a second thought. The ambassador started to leave, but Zuko stayed rooted in his spot. "I'm going to stay a moment longer," he said. "We'll both catch up with everyone in a while."

Katara felt her heart jump at his words and, rather rudely, turned her back on both of them to focus on the sculpture.

One bid farewell later, and she was alone with Zuko.

In the reflection, Zuko waived off the guards that were following him, then stared at the back of her head. The silence was bordering on agonizingly uncomfortable before he tugged at his collar and stepped up to the sculpture next to her.

"The Northern Tribe finally spoke to me," he said quietly. "I thought you'd want to know."

At the unexpected subject, and startled enough to momentarily forget her nervousness, she blinked in surprise. "What do they want?"

"Territory."

"Territory?" she repeated curiously.

"They want the northern waters back."

"I see….now I understand why they cornered you like that. It's one of the most sensitive subjects right now."

"You said you had to make some sort of decision for it, right?"

"That's what I heard them say when I was eavesdropping."

"I'm betting they want the Southern Water Tribe's support with this. They're probably going to bring it up with all of you soon, and you and the other ambassadors will have to choose to support them or not."

Katara looked away with a frown.

"Damnit," he hissed in frustration. "Of all the things they could want, it has to be that. I can't tell them yes. There's so much more to it other than just 'giving it back'." When Katara said nothing in return, Zuko sighed and his tone softened. "Sorry, I'm probably upsetting you by saying something like that."

It really should be getting to her. If she had the level of pride for the Water Tribes she claimed to have, she'd be jumping to their defense right about now, but she didn't feel the urge or desire to. "Don't worry, you're not. What are you going to do?"

"I don't know yet. I haven't had much time to think about it."

Katara didn't press any further. Politics may be interesting to her, but the very thought of this scheme was suddenly tiring to even think about. She certainly didn't want to spend time right now to hash it out, and she could tell Zuko didn't want to either. "Is this the 'viper pit' you were talking about?" she asked.

"Yep."

Katara nodded in understanding. "What a way to ruin a good night."

"It's not what I expected, but I wouldn't say it's ruined." Zuko stepped up a little closer to her and the sculpture, then rested his hand on the railing meant to keep people from touching the large work of art. He followed her eyes in the same direction. "Do you like it?"

"Yes, it's beautiful."

"You picked it out."

She glanced at him in confusion.

"Do you remember the glass flower I gave you?" he asked.

"Yes."

"It's the same artist."

Katara looked back at the sculpture. "I guess I should have known. It's just as amazing as the flower is."

"It is," he said quietly.

The husky, low tone of voice he just used ran right through her and made her stiffen again. Instantly, she was reminded of the tension she was drowning in all night. Not knowing what else to say, she discretely looked around her for possible exits. Though, instead of exits, she was surprised to find quite a few people staring in their direction.

"Katara," he started and she suddenly found it hard to breathe. "What are your plans for the rest of the night?"

"I don't have any other than the gala."

"Will you come find me when this is all over?"

She lightly scratched her head. "Why?"

Zuko hesitated for a long moment, then his lips turned down into a dejected frown. "I know why you've been avoiding me the past few days, and I know you probably don't want to see me right now, but...I need to talk to you."

"About?" she asked with a nervous swallow, knowing it was a stupid question.

"It's part of the apology you wouldn't let me give you earlier."

Katara couldn't bring herself to give him an answer.

She spent the past few nights tossing and turning in bed thinking of nothing but how much she _didn't_ want to know what was going on, why he almost kissed her, and what it all meant.

There were so many ways she could walk away and pretend nothing ever happened. They could go back to hardly sparing each other a thought as they had done the last five years. It could all disappear so simply if she just told him 'no' right now and left him alone for the rest of the trip.

Though, as much as she wished she could, avoiding this conversation forever wasn't going to work.

This situation was worse than she thought. That kiss wasn't just some in the moment fluke like she tried to tell herself it was. Not after that dance. Not after the way he pulled her that close to him. Not after the way he looked at her with such longing in his eyes.

After the gala...that was when she was going to get her explanation. But now with him standing next to her and her anxiety levels taking another unbearable spike, the wait was too long. She felt she might go crazy spending another second in the dark.

That, and the idea of being alone with Zuko again absolutely terrified her.

She needed to know _now_.

After a shaky sigh, she said, "You were a mess a few nights ago."

"I was," he admitted. "I'm sorry you had to see that."

"Are you always like that after coming back from a visit with your father?"

Zuko hung his head slightly. "Worse, usually."

"I thought you said that was one of the worst nights."

"Only at first..."

"Why?"

"You were there to talk me down."

There was something about that low tone of voice he kept using that Katara could not handle. It made her heart skip one too many beats and sent chills up her back. She turned her face away from him when a blush spread across her cheeks.

"Others have never tried that?" she asked.

"They've tried before, but," his voice dropped even lower, "they never could."

"When people are distraught like that, sometimes they say things…or do things they don't mean to."

Zuko looked down at her with a hint of surprise in his eyes. However, his attention shifted when he looked around them. At the same time, Katara realized the small crowd staring at them still hadn't left. Mirroring her agitation because of it, Zuko stepped a little closer to her.

"We can talk about this later."

She shook her head. "No, not later."

He opened his mouth, probably to disagree with her, but slowly closed it after a moment. He sighed and the sad look in his eyes from earlier returned. "I wasn't distraught, Katara."

Now, Katara could legitimately not breathe, completely at a loss for words. Was that some sort of confession or something else?

She couldn't decide through her pounding heart and the look in Zuko's eyes. When the momentary shock lessened enough to give her the air she needed, she was going to ask him something. What? She wasn't quite sure, nor would she get the chance to find out.

Something at the corner of her eye pulled her attention - the group in blue she was searching for earlier.

"Zuko!" said Sokka.

 _'No,'_ Katara pleaded.

She needed more time. She needed an answer!

The sound of Sokka's voice made Zuko's head snap up. He quickly took a step back from her and turned around.

Her brother, sister-in-law and the rest of the diplomats from the tribe had found them. They approached and Katara quickly saw her explanation from Zuko fade into the air. Zuko looked between her and the others frantic, but within seconds his attention was forced away from her.

A typical greeting happened, a conversation started, and the moment between them evaporated completely. She didn't listen as some tried to talk to her, she didn't contribute as cordial questions were passed around, and somewhere during it all, she somehow faded into the crowd around her.

Katara waited, waited, and _waited_.

She was counting nearly every second spent and hoped when one topic ended that it would be the last. She needed Zuko to herself for just a few moments longer. She needed everyone around her to just disappear for a few minutes!

As if the interruption wasn't torturous enough, suddenly the lead ambassador was in front of her. She tore her eyes away from Zuko and had to actively try to focus on him. "Do you have a moment, Katara?"

She wanted to tell him no, and he seemed to catch on to the fact that she was about to tell him just that. "It's only for a moment," he added.

After another glance at the occupied Fire Lord who now had not only her tribe surrounding him, but other groups starting to practically line up from behind, she sighed. Reluctantly, she turned back to the ambassador and nodded. He led her out of the crowd that had gathered until they were in a quieter spot.

The further away from Zuko she got, the more dejected she started to feel. When she finally made eye contact with the lead ambassador, his face softened, "You have done very well here at the assembly."

She smiled lightly in response, the gesture not reaching her eyes.

He continued, "You know, when your father first told me that you would be filling in for Rako, I was hesitant to agree. You are a bright, young woman, but I had my doubts about you coming here."

Her smile faded. "It seems a lot of people would agree with you."

"And we couldn't have been more wrong. You have done an excellent job here, and please believe me when I say that. I want you to know I'm sorry I ever doubted you."

"Thank you. That means a lot," she said before her gaze moved back over to Zuko.

His smile widened a little more. "If you are interested, I'd like you to keep your title as ambassador permanently."

Those words were probably the only thing that could grab her attention away from Zuko. She looked at the other ambassador and momentarily forgot about her anxiety. "What?" she asked in disbelief.

"Rako has decided to retire from his duty as ambassador and we need to fill his position."

"But, I was only supposed to have that title temporarily. There are others who've been waiting years for a chance to be an ambassador."

"You're right, but you are the one I want to take on the mantle. You have mine and the others' trust, and you've more than proven yourself. There is much you still need to learn, but I see more potential in you than anyone else."

"I-" she faltered, speechless and unable to finish.

"You'd make me a happy, old man if you said yes, but I will give you time to think about it. I don't want you to agree with it right here and now. It's a big decision; one you should make very carefully."

She wanted to tell him yes right then and there. Thinking about it was not necessary, but she followed his advice and kept the answer to herself. Not knowing what else to do, gave him a hug with a small, genuine smile. He was surprised at first, but returned the hug before she backed away from the ambassador and dear family friend.

"Thank you," she said.

"No, I need to thank you," he answered, then reached out and put a hand on her shoulder. "I'm proud of you, Katara. Your father is too."

She beamed at his words as her smile grew even wider. Her downcast mood from earlier was gone and replaced with elation. Before she knew it, her excitement started building pictures in her mind of what her future would look like as Ambassador.

She'd been longing for a while now to travel and see the world again, but she couldn't quite bring herself to leave the tribe just yet. This seemed to be the answer she was looking for.

As her mind swam with all the possibilities that now lay in her future, she zoned out momentarily. The older ambassador had to practically shake her out of her daze. He told her he was going to join the rest of the group to take advantage of the rest of the evening and that she should do the same. She nodded and before he left he reached into his pocket and handed her two small scrolls. "These came in for you just recently. I figured you would want them before the gala ended."

She examined the scrolls in her hands. One had a seal she recognized – her father's. The other one was different and she turned it over a couple of times to examine it. "One is from my father, but what about this other one?"

"Oh, that one is from Aang."

And just like that – like a spark that appeared when metal clashed – her joy vanished at the sound of his name.

Her smiled faded and she looked back down at the scroll in her hand, and long, still moments. She didn't know how long she stared at it, but it seemed to grow heavier in her palm the longer it stayed there. Slowly, the sounds of the ballroom filled her ears; everything from the people speaking to one another to the light music echoing off the walls and fading up into the ceiling. She turned her gaze back in Zuko's direction.

He was now standing among a group of Fire Nation nobles, his face stoic and emotionless, and looking incredibly out of reach from where she stood. The scroll grew even heavier until she looked back down at it, and gripped it hard.

* * *

Sokka downed the last of his drink near one of the edges of the emptying ballroom, watching people leave. It was late and the party-dazed people seemed reluctant to step out the doors. He didn't expect to feel to feel the same as them. As far as upper-class parties went, tonight was, surprisingly, was pretty good. The food was amazing, the booze was better, and the company of his wife and little man was perfect.

He may have drank too much, though.

He was a little dizzy and less respectable than he should be at a place like this, but it was over so he didn't feel so bad about indulging himself in what was left of Zuko's rare-brand alcohol. The guy sure had a lot to go around.

"Sokka," said Suki as she walked up to him with his fussy little boy in her arms, "I found her."

Sokka hesitated a moment as his face fell. He set the almost-empty glass down next to him and followed Suki as she turned to walk away.

"She's still here?" he asked, uncertain.

"Sort of. She's outside."

"Is she okay?"

"I haven't talked to her yet. I just saw her through the windows."

"Does she look okay?" Suki didn't answer him right away and instead creased her brow slightly. "What is it?" he prodded.

"I think she's drinking."

Sokka was well aware Katara hated the taste of alcohol. She rarely drank, and if she did, it was barely every a few sour-faced sips. If it wasn't for the extremely tired infant in her arms proving himself a handful for his wife, he would have gotten a good laugh out of an idea like that.

However, his face turned just as serious as Suki's when they stepped outside and, sure enough, there his sister was, sitting at the bottom of some steps with two empty glass of wine next to her and another in her hands. She had a downcast look on her face as she talked with a boy who kept pacing back and forth right in front of her.

"Try and talk to her again, okay? I'd do it myself, but I need to put him down." asked Suki as she wrestled with their crying son. "I'm worried about her."

Sokka nodded and kissed her on the cheek before she walked in the opposite direction. Feeling completely jaded by the fact that Katara was willingly drinking alcohol, he hesitantly approached her.

"…but I was supposed to give this to someone," said the nervous boy as he looked down at a box in his hands desperately.

"Who?" Katara asked.

"I don't know his name. He's an advisor to the Fire Lord. I was supposed to meet him here since my father is very sick, but I- I took too long. I stayed to watch the festival in the city, and now he's not here. Father is going to be so angry with me, and- and the Fire Lord-" The boy didn't finish and bit his lip.

"What's in the box?"

"It's for the Fire Lord. Father said he needed it right away."

Katara was quiet as she looked between the boy and the box for a moment. "I can give it to the Fire Lord."

The boy's eyes widened. "You can?"

"Yes, he's…a dear friend of mine."

That seemed to be all the assurance he needed. He stepped up to Katara and practically shoved the box in her face. "Thank you so much!"

Almost dropping it in the process, Katara took it from him and the boy was turned on his heel, running in the opposite direction a second later.

"Who was that?" Sokka asked.

Katara finished the drink in her hand and set the empty glass to her side with the others. "Who knows?" she said.

Without a hint of hesitation, she pulled the seals off the box, opened it, and stuck her hand inside. She pulled out a golden metal object that both of them recognized immediately.

"Is that Zuko's crown?" he asked anyway.

She slowly turned it over in her hands, then ran her finger over the intricate designs. "Yeah," she said quietly, "he told me he sent it in for repairs a few weeks ago after our sparring match…"

Sokka nodded thoughtfully, then scratched the back of his head. "How does the wine taste?"

"Disgusting."

"Oh. What's the occasion?"

"Tonight's the gala."

Katara's face fell from a dull stare to a frown. She leaned forward, bringing the crown closer to inspect and let out a long sigh.

"Katara-"

"Can you leave me alone, please?" she interrupted.

Sokka was taken aback by her cold tone; one he rarely ever heard her use. He told Suki he would try again to ask and find out what was bothering her, but she already refused to tell him before the dance, and she was clearly even more reserved now.

"Are you sure? You really don't seem-"

"How many times do I have to tell you this tonight? I'm _sure_. I'm _fine_. I'm _okay_. I just want to be alone right now." She ran a hand over her face and lowered her voice. "Please go away, Sokka."

The verbal venom made him close his mouth and end the prodding.

They sat in complete silence for a while. She never looked at him and instead kept her eyes on the gold crown in her hand, staring at it as if it would disappear into thin air at any second. He waited – tried to be the good, decent brother and wait for her to say something to him, but she never did.

In fact, Sokka felt the air of 'unwelcome' grow even worse when she started discretely turning even further away from him, giving him nothing but a view of her hunched back with another silent request to leave.

So, that's what he did. He stood up with a sad sigh, looked at her one last time over his shoulder, and walked away.

* * *

Zuko reached up and pulled out the top knot in his hair. His black locks fell and he ran a hand through them to smooth them out. Once they were in a decent spot, he leaned back against the wall, staring blankly into the small courtyard in front of him.

It was yet another royal garden that was off limits to anyone but him and those he gave permission to use. He didn't know why it was tended to so thoroughly or decorated so pristinely. It was never used and rarely seen - just another useless waste of space.

He wouldn't even be out there if the door nearby wasn't the closest thing he could find when he decided he needed some fresh air. His uncle was right about a storm coming in. He could faintly smell subtropical rain in the air, and the trees were starting to sway in the wind. Usually, a sight like that would help him relax.

Though, just as he expected, it wasn't helping him at all. Muttering under his breath, he pinched the bridge of his nose.

"Headache?"

Zuko turned to look at Shen, who he didn't realize was standing a few feet away from him. He was dressed in a more formal guard attire than the usual, as were the others that had discretely followed him around all evening.

Shen almost always had some sort of humorous undertone in his voice when they spoke, but it was absent at the moment. He wasn't smiling either.

"No," Zuko said as he dropped his hand. "You're all dismissed for the night."

"No afterparty?" he asked, still humorless.

"No, I'm done for the night."

"I can tell."

"There's a lot of food and alcohol left over. You guys can help yourselves to what's left."

"That's very generous."

"You deserve it."

Shen leaned against the wall, copying the same pose he had. "I should say no."

"I can handle myself for one night."

The captain hesitated a moment. "Come with us." Zuko looked at him with a slightly raised eyebrow and he continued, "You look like you need a good time after all those fake smiles earlier, and after whatever those bastards from the north said to put you in a bad mood."

"That's not why I'm out here."

"I know."

"'I know'," he repeated in an irritated scoff. "Am I that easy to read?"

"Not usually, but with her, you are."

Zuko swallowed and leaned further back into the wall behind him. He didn't bother to ask for clarification on what he meant, knowing exactly who 'her' was. He may as well be a truly hopeless idiot if he was broadcasting the fact that Katara was all that was on his mind to everyone who looked at him.

Zuko crossed his arms and shook his head. "I'll stay here. I'd rather brood."

It was supposed to be his attempt at darker humor, but apparently, Shen didn't think it was very funny. An awkward few seconds later, he added, "I just need a night alone."

"Hm," Shen mused, "Maybe not alone."

When Zuko turned another questioning eye to him, Shen nodded in the direction of the courtyard.

From across the grass and through a series of ground-to-ceiling windows, Zuko saw a woman he could recognize in a heartbeat slowly walking down the hall with her head hung. He nervously tensed, feeling his limbs lock in surprise. He didn't look to see, but he heard Shen walk away until the sound of his footsteps disappeared.

Zuko was fully prepared for the fact that their conversation wasn't going to go well for him. He expected more rejection from her, but when Katara disappeared after the dance and didn't come find him like he asked, it was a little more rejection than he had expected. He thought the chances of seeing her any time soon were next to zero.

Zuko was walking across the courtyard and opening a door into the hall before he realized it.

"Katara."

She halted mid-step and glanced at him over his shoulder. Giving him an expectant look, she was probably waiting for him to say something else, but Zuko was momentarily lost for words. He was taken aback again by how beautiful she was in that dress. She was as stunning now as she was when he first saw her earlier.

He blinked and refocused back on her eyes when she said, "I was looking for you."

After closing the door behind him, he slowly approached her. He got as close as she'd let him, stopping only when she tensed. He frowned that he was still a good few paces away from her.

He was ready for this, he told himself. He rehearsed this encounter in his head all evening and, as bad as it was going to go, he felt confident. However, as a stifling awkward air settled between them and Zuko's breathing turned nervously ragged, it didn't take long for that confidence to crumble.

"I was going to your office. You're always in there, even at this time of night," she said lazily. "I've never gone this way before, though. I don't actually recognize where I am anymore."

Zuko furrowed his brow at the almost-slurred way she was speaking. "It's just around the corner."

"Oh."

"Are you feeling okay?"

She suddenly narrowed her eyes and glared at him. "Have you been talking to Sokka?"

"No, I haven't."

"Well, stop asking me that question."

"That was the first time I asked…" he trailed off, saying it more to himself than her.

Messy words, slightly dazed expression, not paying attention – had she been drinking? That's what it looked like to him, but he was hesitant to fully believe it. Her blue eyes were sharp and looking at him a little too intensely.

"You disappeared earlier at the gala," he said.

"I did."

"Where did you go?"

"Does it matter?"

"I guess not." He fidgeted slightly. "Do you still want to talk?"

Katara stiffened again and looked away. After a few tense seconds of her biting her lip, she quickly turned towards him and took a few steps closer. She shoved something into his chest hard and Zuko had to quickly grab whatever it was before it fell to the ground. "Open it," she said.

With a raised eyebrow, Zuko inspected the already-open fine box in his hands before reaching into it and pulling out a golden, metal flame. It was the priceless heirloom he had been without the past few weeks.

"It looks a lot better than it did the last time I held it," she said as she watched him, "It was pretty damaged after our sparring match when I hit you."

"It wasn't your fault." He looked down at it again and noticed the fresh shine and completely smooth surface.

"You were having an attack when that happened, weren't you?"

"Yes."

"I'm sorry."

"It's not your fault," he said again. "Why do you have this-"

Zuko stopped short, both his words and his thoughts, when Katara stepped right in front of him and reached for his face. He held his breath when her hand was only inches away from him, and his eyes fell closed against his will at the sensation of her touching the damaged, scarred skin around his eye.

It was then he could smell the very faint scent of alcohol as her breath brushed just below his jaw. He cracked his eyes open to look down at her with a quizzical look, but it disappeared when he realized how close she was again.

"I don't know why, but I've always been able to tell – you don't like people touching your scars, do you?"

"No, I don't," he said, nearly breathless.

Her voice dropped just as low as his. "Why do you let me? Every time I've touched one of your scars, you've never pushed me away. Not once…"

Zuko decided right then that, yes, she was probably a little drunk. She would never be this close to him, or touching him to softly if she weren't. Should he tell her? Now, of all times and places; inebriated and doing things she wouldn't if she were fully coherent. Should he let her know he had fallen in love with her even when he still didn't even fully understand it himself?

He wanted her, he cared about her, but for it to go so far as- as love…and to actually admit to it…

Zuko thought he knew what love felt like. Those years he was with Mai – he loved her, he knew he did. Before it all fell apart, every moment he saw her _he knew_. He recognized right away when he started to fall for her when he was younger. He could feel it when she walked in the room; the way he looked at her differently than everyone else surrounding him. Zuko admitted he could be dense at times, but he never was with the way he felt about her.

But this, what he was feeling when he looked into Katara's eyes, was different. It was similar to Mai, but _it never felt like this_. So strange and foreign. So utterly _painful_. That's why he didn't recognize it sooner. Denial of this entirely messed up situation aside, love should not feel like this. It should not practically immobilize him at the very thought of not being around her.

Though, what else was there to call it? Anything else was laughable. This _was_ love, even if it unrecognizably crushed him in ways nothing else ever had.

With a sigh, Zuko put his hand over the one touching him. She was soft and warm, even against the heat under his skin.

She asked, she wanted to know 'why her' above anyone else, but suddenly the words that Zuko thought over the past few hours didn't measure up. He didn't know what to tell her. The only thing he could think to do was lean in and kiss her. He may not have the words for it, but he knew for sure that he could tell her exactly how he felt with his lips.

If only he could…

Zuko gripped her hand lightly and pulled it down, away from his face. As tempting as it was to wrap his arms around her and pull her closer than he had during their dance, he was not going to do it, especially in her current state. She wouldn't want him to.

"You should probably go to bed," he said.

"You're not going to answer my question?"

"No, I think you've had a little too much to drink."

She looked away from him and her hand dropped back to her side. As it did, something slipped out of the sleeve and bounced off his foot. Katara didn't seem to notice. "I thought we were going to talk," she said.

"I don't think it's a good idea. Not while you're like this."

"I'm fine, Zuko."

"Would you have touched me like that just now if you hadn't had a couple glasses of wine?"

Her eyes widened, and she gripped the hand she had on his face with the other, as if to try and hide the fact it was the one she used. A blush grew on her cheeks as she grimaced. Zuko felt a small twinge of hurt at her reaction. A very, very small part of him was hoping she would give him words of reassurance, telling him it wasn't true…

"I don't think you would have," he whispered.

"…"

With a sigh, he reached down and picked up the small, open scroll.

He was going to roll it up and hand it back to her, but Katara's eyes widened even further and she quickly snatched it from his hand. She turned her back to him and took a couple of steps away, looking intensely at the paper in her hands.

"How did you get this?" she asked.

"It fell from your sleeve. What is it?"

"A letter from Aang."

Zuko swallowed and looked to the ground.

"I got it during the dance."

She waited in silence for a moment, probably waiting for him to say something. Zuko kept quiet, though, and she continued, "He wrote this a week and a half ago. He says he's sorry he's late and that he should be here sometime after the gala. He apologized that he hasn't been able to write me for a couple of months. He says he misses me." Katara lowered her voice. "I miss him, too…"

Zuko felt his eyes droop heavily as his face fell. Hesitantly, he looked up at her again as she slowly rolled the scroll back up and tucked it away in a pocket.

"I love him," she nearly whispered. "You know that, don't you?"

"I know…"

She didn't react and only turned her downward gaze towards the windows.

Zuko needed her to say something. He may not have said it in more simple terms, but surely she heard his tone of voice. It was hidden, but it was there. He was open and exposed because of his admission, and she was torturing him by doing nothing.

He needed her to ask for more clarification or give him the rejection he was expecting. She could even walk away if she wanted to. Not just stand there in silence making him wonder.

Katara never moved, her distracted gaze never wavered, and it was clear after a solid minute of silence that she was not going to talk to him.

"Katara-"

Zuko froze when something very close to a scream sounded in the distance. Deep in the halls, it was barely an echo. Katara didn't react to it, and he momentarily wondered if he was hearing things. He stilled himself, even his breathing, so that he could hear it again.

He couldn't, though, but anxiety and plenty of experience would not let him calm down.

Looking at each end of the hall, he walked up to Katara and lightly grabbed her upper arm. Before he could utter a word to her, she was quick to shrug him off. She stepped away from him and closer to the window, putting a hand on the glass.

Zuko strained his ears again and looked for guards around him, but they were alone, as he wanted to be earlier.

"What is…" Katara trailed off next to him.

When Zuko looked to her again, her eyes were wide as she tilted her neck to stare into the sky through the windows. It was only then that Zuko noticed that through them, the courtyard was cast in a very strange blue light.

He stepped closer to her and quickly following her eyes. His own widened as well at the sight of what was going on.

It looked like the sky was on fire.

In every direction he could see, the northern lights were no longer just soft hues of blue. They looked like a bursting inferno; dangerous and just as deadly as real flames. Completely shocked at what he was seeing, Zuko backed up and realized Katara was no longer standing next to him. She was down the hall and opening the sliding door to get into the courtyard. "Wait!" Zuko yelled.

She didn't listen and stepped out onto the grass with her face skyward. Zuko was out there within seconds grabbing her arm to pull her back inside. However, he hesitated when he looked again at the swirling chaos above him.

More screams sounded in the distance, and this time he knew it wasn't his imagination.

' _What is going on?!'_ he inwardly panicked.

"We need to get inside!" he yelled.

Zuko tugged at her to get her to follow, but Katara suddenly fell to the ground with a yelp. She grabbed her head with her free hand as her face contorted in pain.

"Katara!"

He quickly kneeled next to her and was about to pick her up and run towards the doors, but as he reached out, his vision flickered in spots of black. His ears started ringing and it wasn't long before that was all he could hear. He knew people were still screaming around him, he could Katara screaming as well.

As if a knife was shoved into the back of his head, a mind-splitting pain tore through his skull.

It struck Zuko down to the ground and he was knocked breathless by how intense it was. So much so, that everything around him vanished in a second – the excruciating pain was all he could think about. Grabbing desperately at his head to make it stop, the unbearable pressure kept building until he was sure it was about to kill him.

His vision blacked out, and Zuko was surrounded by darkness.

* * *

A/N: Part one of The Liar's Kiss is now complete. It's nothing but rough waters from here on out. Hope you're all ready for it.

I HIGHLY advise you read the author's note for the next chapter as there are things you will need to know about future chapters. It will be between the revision tag and the responses. As far as notes go, that one is pretty important.

So…the spirits are finally here. You guys excited? ;)


	15. Overture

A/N: Before you read any further, you need to know a few things. One, it's slight AU. Animals are normal animals like the real world. There are a few exceptions, but this contains a traditional animal kingdom. The reason will make sense further down the road.

Two, this story is rated M FOR A REASON. It is not meant to be light-hearted. In fact, from here on out, it gets very dark at certain parts. It is rated for the following:

Sexual situations, language, violence, abuse, rape, death, suicide

This DOES NOT guarantee all of the above mentioned will happen to the characters, so please don't automatically assume the worst. It just means that, at a minimum, the topics will be brought up/discussed/explored. Know that I can be a _very_ cruel writer, but there are lines I will not cross when it comes to storytelling.

Romance is still all over the place and won't be lacking, but if any of those things are hard for you to read, even if only briefly mentioned, this story probably isn't for you…

Responses:

DK009: Thank you! I felt like I quite hit the mark for what Zuko was feeling in the old version. waking-up-with-happiness: Mine too! I'm so mean to him… EternalFire1984: You should be afraid! Things are not going to be easy for anyone anymore haha. SylverB: I was aiming for more reader involvement. There are a few stories I've read on this site that are amazing at it, so I wanted to try the same thing.

nevertalk: Thank you! Part two is here! 25Carin: Glad you like their plot. I tried to make it interesting instead of just two generals happily scheming together. fan fan: Thank you! :) knd: Be warned, the cliffhangers are going to get worse lol. Tinkpat: I'm sorry! Things will start changing soon, but I would say it's going to be a break for Zuko haha.

AndressaGabs: I think the best part of Zutara is to read them struggling with coming to terms. Hope you like the spirits! KmyD: I don't plan to abandon this fic, so no worries!

Guests: You guys are awesome and hope you like the new chapter! :)

Disclaimer: No own, no sue.

* * *

 _Chapter 15_

 **Overture**

…

Zuko knew he was asleep before he felt himself start to come to. It was the typical sensation of knowing he wasn't quite conscious, and drifting on the line of wondering if what was going on was real or a dream. He was still at a point that he could have fallen back asleep if he wanted to, but any chance of that was ruined when he felt a crushing sensation in the pit of his skull.

It was painful and he felt as though he took one hell of a beating or drank himself to sleep.

It worsened when a bright grey light filled his vision. Zuko tried to close his eyes, but nothing happened and the piercing light remained.

Turning his attention away from his massive headache, he scanned the scene before him. The mix of gray hues were nothing but a blur until his eyes finally adjusted and he had a good image of what he was seeing. It was the capital city at dawn. The sky was grey and covered by thick clouds.

It was a nice view, but he didn't recognize where he was. Judging by what he was looking at, he guessed he was somewhere near the top of a hill.

He muddled through some memories to find the reason why he was there, but came up with nothing so he went back to lazily watching instead. However, it didn't take long to realize that something was off. His body didn't feel the drowsy lag it usually did after just waking up, and there was something else going on that was very, very wrong.

He was sitting up.

' _Did I fall asleep like this?'_ he wondered.

Zuko tried to reach up and rub his face as confusion filled him, but his palm never came; it lied unmoving in his lap. Bewildered, he sent the order to his limbs again.

Nothing.

Immediately, he tried to move his other arm and felt no response. He tugged at his neck and tried to look down, but couldn't do that much either. His eyes wouldn't move even slightly from the spot of the city he was looking at. Confusion quickly turned into panic as he tugged and pulled at every part of his body and did not receive a response from anything. Every inch of him was hard as stone.

In that moment, he was convinced he was dreaming, but if he was, it was the most vivid he's had yet.

Zuko felt some sort of strain in his mind, like he was trying to remember something. The pull loosened when nothing came to him. He sighed at whatever memory or thought he could not conjure up.

Zuko tried to shake his head, but it remained stiff. He did _not_ just try to sigh. And that memory he just tried to find? He had no clue where that idea came from. Before he could rake his mind for some sort of explanation, a strange, disturbing sensation stopped him.

Some sort of awareness spiked through his mind, and Zuko suddenly knew he wasn't alone.

Someone was close by looking at him. He didn't know how he knew, he just did. When he tried to turn his head to find whoever it was boring their eyes into him, his neck wouldn't move. He _knew_ someone was there because, whoever it was, their presence was over powering. Zuko couldn't see him, but the person staring at him decided he was uninterested and looked away.

Zuko wasn't sure how he knew that either, but it was almost as if he could feel it happening.

" _It's because you can."_

Zuko froze. There really was someone there! For the third time, he attempted to turn his neck to see the stranger. The fact that he couldn't move at all was starting to frighten him.

' _Who are you?'_ he tried to ask, but no words came.

" _Something a pitiful human like you wouldn't understand,"_ answered the voice.

How did he hear him? His jaw was still frozen shut.

Zuko felt his face frown into a scowl of irritation against his will. A foul mood spread through him, and it was completely unsettling – he was _not_ the one feeling this.

Of all the ones to have been pulled through, he had to be one of them? He had to be brought to this place? This dead-end pit they called the mortal world? Was this some sort of joke fate was playing on him? Was _she_ here?

More strange questions filled Zuko's mind as if poison was spreading through his thoughts. Emotions he had no control over were invading his own, mixing them in an unpleasant way. He had absolutely no idea where it was all coming from.

His frozen body, this flood of strange emotion, the haunting whispers in his head. Something was wrong with him. He had to be going crazy!

Alarm swept through him again as he tried to scream for answers to the person next to him, or anyone really. In the midst of his panicked and chaotic thoughts, he felt a singe of annoyance come from the other person before a booming voice shouted through his head.

It was enough to make Zuko freeze again, and that voice – he knew it was in his head this time.

" _Enough!"_

Those eyes he thought were watching him were not eyes at all. Those thoughts that weren't his, and that unsettling presence he had been feeling was not what he first assumed - someone or something was in his head.

He felt something grab him before he was harshly shoved. The sensation was similar to being pushed back and hitting the ground, but instead of his body falling, it was his mind. It was as painful as landing on real stone.

The strange thoughts from before practically disappeared behind something that Zuko could only describe as some sort of wall in his head. From behind it, the strange voice spoke again, echoing through his mind. " _Your shouting is beginning to annoy me."_

Still rattled by the sensation, Zuko answered back in his mind this time, _'Who are you? What's happening?'_

" _You happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time,"_ it seemed to say more to itself than Zuko.

 _'You- you didn't answer my question. Why are you in my mind? Who are you?'_

Zuko's eyes narrowed, and he felt irritation come from behind the wall; from that thing behind it. _"You act as if I'm obligated to tell you."_

' _What?'_ he asked, taken aback _, 'You're the one in my head. What's going on?'_

" _Why don't you tell me? What do you think is happening here?"_

' _I- I don't know!'_

" _You lie. You seem to already have plenty of rampant ideas bombarding both of us. Pick one that suits you most and be done with your yelling."_

What on earth was it talking about? Zuko had no idea how to explain this!

" _I am from the spirit world you fool,"_ it hissed, clearly losing its patience.

A spirit? But why was it in his head right now? The voice seemed to hear his question.

" _I was pulled through against my will."_

But…a spirit in his mind? Was something like that even possible?

" _It shouldn't be. It's a fundamental flaw these two worlds have to experience from time to time,"_ it said with spite laced through its words.

Zuko didn't like that this spirit could hear his thoughts and tried to retreat from it, but there was nowhere in his mind he could go.

His eyes moved to a different part of the landscape in the distance. It was then that Zuko realized the spirit was the one controlling his body. Whatever it was that he needed for control, right now it was only accessible to the spirit.

Squinting and frowning even more, it continued to look on toward the dark sky. Zuko could feel the spirit's utter distaste for everything in sight. It was high strung, upset, and genuinely not happy. It seemed to realize Zuko was honing in on its mood and quickly pushed him back further, thickening the wall between them.

Once again, Zuko tried to move his body. Now knowing that the spirit was the one in control, he fought to take it back. Pushing hard, he wrestled with the resistance, but it was quickly becoming clear that he was no match for the voice in his head.

" _Don't bother,"_ said the spirit. _"Your pathetic body is under my control."_

Not bothering to take its advice, and too distracted to care about the aggression in its voice, Zuko tried again, and again it was no use. Halting his onslaught, he turned his attention nervously to the presence behind the wall. For a moment, Zuko was still as he regarded the other being in his mind.

He never felt anything like it before. Half of his mind was shut away, completely inaccessible and that thing had complete control of it. Like a prisoner in his own head, the longer he felt it, the more suffocating it became.

' _Get out.'_

Zuko didn't know why this spirit was invading his mind and body, but he wanted it out. The sensations of having someone else thinking in his head, and unable to move his own body was the most unsettling thing he had ever experienced.

" _I can't."_

For some reason, Zuko could sense that was the truth, but it didn't matter.

' _Get out!'_ he yelled again.

The spirit looked on at the city, still in a foul mood, and now ignoring Zuko. Trying a new tactic, Zuko turned his attention to the presence in general and tried to push it out, but it was rooted in; not that he really had a clue what he was doing. His attempts were only about effective as slamming his hands against a brick wall.

For a moment, he halted his frantic thoughts as he contemplated just how massive and encompassing that wall really was. There didn't seem to be a way through, let alone an end to it, and so long as that wall was up, the spirit was untouchable. He didn't know of a way to expel a spirit once it possessed someone. He didn't know something like that was even possible!

Suddenly, Aang's face came to mind. If anyone in the world could understand what was happening to him, it was the Avatar. Or at least, he desperately hoped so. Somehow, Zuko had to find him to get this spirit out of him.

" _Yes, ask one of your monks if they know how. See if perhaps this time they can come up with a solution."_

Zuko jerked back at the words. _'This time?'_ he repeated.

" _Did you not listen to a word I said?"_

He did, but that didn't mean he understood it. The spirit implied this has happened before, but Zuko had never heard of anything like this ever occurring.

The spirit shifted, and Zuko's mind was being reached into. It scrambled his thoughts for a moment as he was bombarded with his own memories as the spirit searched for something. He could hardly make sense of what was going on as images flashed before his eyes at a rapid rate against his will.

As the spirit continued to reach deeper, alarm swept through Zuko. Somehow, he knew that if he didn't stop the invader, it was going to reach too far. In a quick move, he attempted to throw his own mental wall up.

Surprisingly, it worked and forced the spirit back, but his barrier was not as strong as the invader's and the spirit could still reach through, if only briefly. Zuko could tell the spirit was taken by surprise when he pushed it out, but it only seemed to fuel its determination to find whatever it was looking for in Zuko's thoughts.

Whatever it was, it found it and pulled back. Had Zuko been in control of his body, he'd have violently shivered at the sensation.

" _Hm, I see that the last incident has fallen from memory of this era."_

' _What did you just do?'_ Zuko asked, shaken.

" _I looked into your mind."_

' _Don't ever do that again.'_

The spirit scoffed, _"You are in no position to make such demands."_

Still ignoring its sour attitude, he asked, ' _Are you saying you've been here before?'_

" _No, but, along with many others, I had the misfortune of being pulled through this time."_

' _How many?'_

" _If tradition holds, I'd say half of your world is in the same circumstance as you right now."_

It took Zuko a minute to wrap his mind around that information. Half the world; hundreds of millions of people with spirits in their minds. He didn't understand. There didn't seem to be a reason why this was happening.

" _Haven't I already answered that question?"_

Zuko couldn't help but notice its mood darken once again as it had before, as though this particular topic struck a nerve in the spirit.

Shock was all Zuko could register as both of them fell silent and the situation started to sink in. He felt incapable of processing it all, but just as specks of reality started to creep up on him, something utterly terrifying dawned on him.

The spirit told him that it couldn't leave. The concept was so alarming that it froze whatever panic gripped him. He'd been awake to this for a mere few minutes, but this was already by far one of the worst things he'd ever experienced. To think that he'd be trapped in his own mind with a spirit in control for the rest of his life was horrid to even consider.

" _Enough of your griping. Lucky for both of us this breech lasts for days only. You can get back to whatever pathetic life you had once this…bridge closes."_

Relief spread through Zuko at the news, but it was short lived. Even if the spirit was telling the truth, he was still trapped and _still_ very much unable to move. Was waiting really all he could do at this point?

The spirit seemed to have something to say about that last thought Zuko had, but both of them were distracted when a faint rumble sounded in the distance. The spirit refocused his eyes – Zuko's eyes – on the city in the distance.

Zuko assumed it was from the approaching storm, but it didn't have the characteristic boom thunder usually had. A second later, a flume of black smoke began to rise from the north side of the city. In that moment, Zuko realized there was much more going on with the city he had not seen earlier. There were other towers of smoke rising in various areas, and there was even a very small portion of the city that was on fire!

Zuko's first thought was to look towards the harbor for invading ships because the city looked like it was under attack. The harbor was empty, though, and there was nothing but dark grey ocean as far as he could see.

Before he could stop himself, he asked the spirit about it to see if it had some sort of explanation as to why the city looked war torn. It seemed only momentarily curious, and went right back to looking at everything with indifference.

He tried asking a few more times, but the spirit was not interested in giving him and answer. Frustrated, Zuko turned his attention back to his hijacked vision, and tried as hard as he could to remember the last thing he could before waking up to this.

It took time to come back to him, but bits and pieces eventually did. Hazy images of the gala flashed through his thoughts, but there was no explanation for the chaos running loos in the city. When memories of the sky ablaze came back, Zuko suddenly remembered what he was doing right before that happened.

Out of habit, he tried to turn his head side to side, but of course he still couldn't break from the spirit's hold on him. So instead, he relied on his ears, but other than the sound of rustling trees, there were no signs someone was near him.

He turned his attention back to the spirit behind the wall. _'The woman I was with, where is she?'_

The spirit didn't take any interest in what he just said in the slightest.

' _Hey!'_ Zuko yelled, but it was no use.

All in a moment, his thoughts turned from both the city and his predicament to Katara, wondering where she was and if she was okay. As he nervously remembered the way she was on the ground screaming in pain, the spirit briefly looked to the same image before his attention faded away.

That was the last sort of acknowledgement he got from the spirit. It stayed in that upright position for the next two hours doing nothing but stare at the horizon and the massive storm on its way.

The fact that it had them sitting there doing absolutely nothing when there was so much uncertainty and distant chaos going on was driving Zuko mad. He tried again and again to get its attention to demand answers, but silence was all he was met with. When it was clear the spirit was checked out, Zuko went back to trying to shove it out of his mind, searching every aspect of the wall that thing had built, and trying as hard as he could to tear it down.

Try as he might, he still wasn't able to change anything. All the nonstop fighting began to tire Zuko, and it wasn't long before he was mentally exhausted at all the strain he was putting on his mind. Forced to stop his onslaught before he had the chance to knock himself out, he had no choice but just sit there, do absolutely nothing, and wait.

He could vaguely feel the spirit thinking, but he wasn't sure what about. The feeling it had mirrored the one it had when Zuko first woke up. It was unhappy and generally had a very dark mood. Darker than Zuko first thought.

The sound of footsteps running towards them caught both their attention.

"Lord Zuko!" said a familiar voice.

Frantic, Zuko tried to move. He knew that voice and who it belonged to. It was a member of his personal guard and he could only assume that the other set of footsteps were as well. The spirit listened to the approaching people, but did not do anything. They called his name again.

' _Answer them!'_ Zuko yelled, realizing that any response would have to be through the spirit.

Obviously irritated by Zuko's demand, it continued to stay still, but it took interest in his name.

It was curious at the fact that they called him 'Lord'. Without warning, the spirit reached into his mind again. Caught by surprise, Zuko again tried to stop him, but with little success. He was able to keep the spirit out of the deeper parts of his mind, thanks to his own wall, but whatever was close to the surface was up for grabs.

" _A lord among your people, an entire nation?"_ It asked.

Now the spirit was curious. It seemed to feel some sort of sardonic amusement at the thought that Zuko was a ruler. He failed to see the irony the spirit was apparently seeing.

Angry at the second uninvited invasion, he yelled, _'Stop doing that! Get out!'_

His guards called his name again as they approached, now only feet away. This time though, the spirit turned his head. It didn't say anything and just looked at them. Zuko could tell instantly that they were distraught and on very high alert. Not only that, they looked like they hadn't gotten any sleep.

Zuko was rarely seen without a member of his guard nearby. They were all sworn to protect him at any cost, and rarely left him alone. This was probably the longest stretch of time Zuko had been without one of them shadowing him. No doubt in a panic because of his disappearance, they'd probably been searching for him all night.

Zuko would have been surprised that they found him so quickly considering he was a ways from the palace, but as the spirit locked eyes with one man in particular, his confusion evaporated. His captain had an uncanny ability to track Zuko down whenever he disappeared; a skill Zuko had yet to make sense of. It usually annoyed him, but he swore that moment he'd never be bothered by it again.

The spirit stared right into Shen's eyes, which were narrowing by the second. The other man started to speak to Zuko as he continued to walk up to him, but the captain quickly threw his hand on the other man's chest, stopping him. He continued to eye him suspiciously as the other man looked between Zuko and the captain. The other guard froze at one point, apparently recognizing what Shen had.

Their almost too instant hesitation confused Zuko momentarily before he remembered that, according to the spirit, half the world was in his same situation. If what it said was true, people have no doubt been panicking since it started. All in a moment, Zuko realized that may be the reason the city was so torn up.

"Zuko?" Shen asked, guarded.

After hesitating a moment, the spirit answered, "No."

They exchanged brief glances before looking back at Zuko, as if unsure what to do next. "You're...a spirit?"

The spirit scoffed. "I will let you decide the answer."

The spirit moved his eyes to the side of the two men as it heard and saw more approaching guards. They spotted the trio and ran faster, but when Shen held his hand up without breaking eye contact with the spirit, they all halted directly behind him.

"I need you to come with us," said Shen.

It didn't move a muscle.

It was growing more curious about the situation surrounding them as the seconds passed, but it wasn't near enough to follow Shen's order and get to his feet. It merely eyed the captain and the others for a long moment. Each and every one of their vibes were screaming distrust and hesitation, and the spirit was just as aware of it as Zuko was. Unlike the spirit, Zuko was surprised with what he saw next when Shen's hand dropped.

It lightly rested on the hilt of the blade at his hip. A slight move, but it was more than enough for the spirit to pick up on the silent threat. Zuko was taken by complete surprise when an image of _his_ hands grabbing that blade and slashing their throats came to mind.

Shocked, he knew full well it wasn't him that conjured up that sight.

Zuko was well aware of how unhappy the spirit seemed to be since the moment he woke up, but it didn't make him nervous until now. He didn't consider the thing dangerous until witnessing that thought.

Considering that gruesome sight it imagined, Zuko was surprised when he stood up and waited expectantly.

After a moment of hesitation, Shen removed his hand from the hilt of his blade, but made sure it remained hovered around it. He finally broke eye contact and turned to his men, lowly whispering something neither Zuko or the spirit could catch.

"Follow me," said the man next to Shen.

Slowly, the spirit did. They began to walk down a path Zuko was unfamiliar with. Now turned in the opposite direction from what he'd been staring at the past couple of hours, he could see the palace a couple of miles in the distance.

Some of the guards took off running ahead of them. The rest surrounded Zuko in a way that would make it very difficult to escape if the spirit chose to. Luckily, the rebellious spark it had earlier was lessened and replaced by a desire to know what was going on exactly.

They walked in silence the entire way back. It was a very guarded, tension-filled silence that reeked of unease. Though they kept stoic most of the time, the spirit would occasionally catch glances from the men at him or each other before they quickly went back to staring ahead. Their strange behavior only added to Zuko's mountain's worth of questions, but the spirit ignored every request he had to ask.

The tight atmosphere did not get any better as they neared the palace after a long while of walking. Not even making it to the palace grounds fully, they were bombarded with people running up to them the moment they spotted Zuko amongst the group. The people were a mix of his advisors, military personnel, councilmen, and many others. Their questions were all the same.

They immediately tried to speak to Zuko or harass Shen for answers, but their sentences never fully finished. Either Shen or one of the others would stop them and explain that it wasn't the Fire Lord they were speaking to, or they'd lock eyes with Zuko and fall silent on their own.

The spirit took to glaring at those that asked and started wondering if following these people was a mistake.

' _Why won't you answer any of them?'_ Zuko asked as the spirit moved his eyes back to the ground after scowling at one of his advisors who asked the spirit why he wandered so far from the palace.

" _They're pointless questions with answers that mean nothing."_

' _They do mean something. Nobody seems to know what's going on.''_

" _That doesn't concern me."_

Perturbed, Zuko spoke again before the spirit decided to go back to being silent. _'I know you're curious about what's going on.'_

" _You're a fool to think they are capable of giving me the answers I seek."_

' _What is it you want to know?'_

" _Just answers,"_ it said cryptically, losing the spirits attention a second later and going right back to being ignored.

Their long walk slowed as they approached the palace doors and stepped through them. Zuko was immediately distracted by what he saw as they entered the foyer. Like the city, it looked as though the palace was raided. There were broken windows, shattered vases, and a disturbing lack of palace guards. For some reason, instead of questions like 'What on Earth happened?' or 'Where is everyone?', the only thing that went through his thoughts was Katara.

' _Where is she?'_

They walked a little further through the battered halls before making it to their destination. The group momentarily halted as a large set of doors were opened.

They were lead into the massive room. It was the same room the gala was held in the night before. Lucky for Zuko, the spirit was just as curious as him and quickly darted his eyes in every direction. The décor was still up and a few tables still dotted areas of the room. However, it didn't seem to be spared from whatever chaos ensued earlier. It was a mess.

Most of the mysteriously absent guards that were supposed to be at every corner in the palace were packed into this one room. Like the ones he was with, each and every one of them was on high alert as they looked between the faces of their superiors and the world leaders that surrounded them. The place was so packed that Zuko could hardly see an open space.

Suddenly, some of the conversations halted and various heads turned in Zuko's direction. He only just stepped into the room, and there was no reason for anyone to think that the Fire Lord had just arrived. That's why it was a little unsettling to see hundreds of eyes look right in his direction practically in unison.

Each of them looked away and fidgeted nervously as the spirit briefly locked eyes with those staring. There wasn't a single one that didn't look nervous at the sight of him. It was as if a dangerous criminal had stepped in and not the Fire Lord. Confused by the strange behavior, Zuko was about to ask the spirit about it, but his thoughts froze as the spirit looked at someone who held his gaze longer than a second.

Unless it was some sort of hallucination, the person's eyes were glowing.

' _Am I seeing things?'_ Zuko asked himself as illuminated grey eyes finally turned away.

" _No."_

The group he was with stopped. The spirit turned his head forward to find that they'd been taken to a different area from the rest of the people in the room. Zuko recognized most of the people surrounding him, but their attention was not fully on him anymore.

It was then that both of them noticed the yelling going on, among other heated conversations going on in the large room.

"You cannot keep us here against our will!" a man yelled. Zuko recognized him as one of the southern Earth Kingdom's diplomats. A man dressed in the rank of Captain in the Fire Nation military threw his arm into the air.

"Have you seen what's going on outside?" he asked, "Right now, this palace is safer than any other place in the city!"

"We are done debating this! Step aside!"

"I can't let you do that!"

The foreigner huffed furiously. Behind him, other's in his group were glaring at those around them. The captain's face reddened as he appeared he was about to let loose on the group in front of him, but he was interrupted by one of Zuko's advisors. "Let them go."

"But-" the captain started in disbelief.

"Do it!"

The guards under the captain's command hesitated, but eventually stepped aside when he reluctantly motioned them to. The group of people quickly passed and walked out the doors with hardly a glance behind them.

With tension in the air, the advisor turned to everyone else with a raised voice, "I know you are all confused right now." The room quieted down. "You have the choice to leave if you wish, but know that we cannot protect you if you step through those doors. Panic is still spreading through the city, and it is not a safe place for people of your titles to be moving around without protection. We will not argue about this topic any longer. Go, or stay here where we can offer protection. Make your decision!"

Silence gripped the crowd before hushed voices spoke with each other. It appeared no one was going to move until another group broke from the mass and headed towards the doors. As they passed the advisor who'd spoken, his face grew nervous but he remained as stout as his words had been.

Seeing them leave must have sparked the confidence of others. A few more small groups headed through the doors as well. After losing about fifty people, no more made the move to leave.

"What do we do now?" said the perturbed captain to the advisor who'd let the people through.

"We move on," interrupted Shen. The nearby attention turned to Zuko and the group he was with. Some stared at him with the same sort of recognition that others had earlier.

Heads turned to Zuko's direction again, and when General Hai spotted him, he asked. "Is that everyone?"

The advisor spoke up. "With Zuko here, that makes all but a few accounted for."

"Not quite," said Shen. "Your forgetting all those who aren't considered nobility. Servants and guards also ran from the palace in the confusion."

The military captain spoke up. "It's not just the possessed. Most ran from the palace early in the morning, and the number keeps rising. We're having a hard time keeping guards here that were not affected. Those dishonorable bastards left their post."

"There's nothing we can do about that now," said the advisor, "They've likely headed into the city to search for their family."

The captain crossed his arms. "Speaking of the city, now that you've opened the doors for everyone to leave, we need to send the soldiers down there to restore order."

"No," said Shen.

The same spark of anger from earlier flashed through the other captain's eyes again. "It's been a mere eight hours and anarchy has already spread through the capital. We're receiving word that certain areas have already been ransacked. We need to send what soldiers we have down there to restore order!"

Shen wasn't fazed. "Our priority is the palace. We can't spare the men."

"Absurd! We do have men to spare. The palace is already contained, and the city is in direr need." The man quickly turned to the leader of the palace guard and told him to gather what men he could and head out.

Now angry, Shen stopped him before he could finish. "Ignore that order!" He turned to the other captain whose face was turning red with anger again. "Do you realize what's happened here? Some of the most important people in the world are all gathered under this one roof. No matter what, our highest priority is to keep them safe and under control, or do you want to find out what happens if even ONE of them gets hurt or is _killed_ during all this?"

As the two captains glared at each other, the advisor stepped in again. "Shen is right. What's happening out there doesn't compare to what could happen here if the palace is invaded. It could be grounds for another war if the palace is raided and any of them are killed."

"Neither of you have the authority to make that decision," said the captain as he eyed Shen dangerously. "And I'll be damned if I let a felon order me around."

Shen's jaw locked, but he didn't speak.

"Have some respect," said the advisor. "Don't forget he holds the same rank as you-"

"His duty is to the Fire Lord exclusively. He has no business giving orders to military personnel," interrupted General Hai. "Back off before you're made to, Captain Shen."

Shen's scowl moved to the general. Though he still didn't fully understand what was going on, Zuko wished he could send the same gesture to Hai. Had he been in control, he'd have put his foot down before the man could open his mouth. Everything Shen said so far is exactly what Zuko would have. There were other resources to use to restore order in the city, but risking sending the soldiers out and leaving the palace unprotected was not the way to go. The world didn't need another war because a diplomat died on Fire Nation soil.

"Regardless," the advisor started before gesturing to Zuko, "Fire Lord Zuko was supposed to be making those decisions, but he can't."

All eyes turned to Zuko, but the spirit remained silent. The military captain scowled and shook his head before turning back to the palace guard leader. "Get your men ready."

Shen stepped in front of the palace guard, forcing the other captain to make eye contact with him. Shen rested his hand on his blade in his signature silent threat. The move completely set the other captain off and he readied himself in a firebending stance that was going to set Shen ablaze.

All in a moment, those loyal to Shen jumped behind him and pulled their own blades out as the other captain's men loyal to him did the same. People stumbled back with screams in a sudden panic from the group that were mere seconds away from an all-out brawl.

However, the advisor bravely jumped between the two before either of them could send a blow and threw his hands up. "Everyone calm down!" he yelled. "Fighting will solve nothing here! And Captain Shen, if you start a fight here, you risk hurting the very people you just said need our protection. Lower your weapons!"

With high tension still in the air and both groups waiting for a mere command from their leader to fight, Shen sighed, extremely agitated. He took his hand off the heel of his blade and his men slowly followed. With one last glare at the other captain, he turned on his heel and walked back over to Zuko.

The advisor lectured the other man and turned to General Hai telling him to control his men. The captain didn't drop his dangerous stance until the general finally stepped in and told him to back off. Though he appeared confident, the advisor wiped at his brow a little shaken when the two groups disbanded.

Another one of Zuko's royal advisors stepped in a moment later. "I understand the situation we are in here…but we can't leave the city to fend for itself. If we do, and it stays as bad as it has been, there's a chance it might spread to the higher district."

The older advisor looked at Zuko and cleared his throat before answering, "With Zuko out of commission, the next of kin will temporarily assume the throne-"

"Pointless. Iroh is also possessed," said the disgruntled military captain. The news immediately grabbed Zuko's attention.

"Let me finish!" the advisor snapped. "But because he has no kin or an heir, control would then fall to the next ranking general. Since he is overseas and we don't have the time, temporary succession falls to General Xuehin."

Everyone, including the spirit inside Zuko, turned to look at General Xuehin. He was standing near a wall with both hands wrapped behind his back. He had two guards standing on either side of him along with what appeared to be his subordinates. His face was flat and the news that he was the next in line didn't appear to surprise him at all, leading Zuko to believe he knew from the start he'd be the one in charge. Though, if that were true, why did he not step forward sooner?

"So long as Zuko cannot speak for himself," said the advisor, "Xuehin will be making decisions here."

Xuehin glanced at Zuko before closing his eyes and sighing. "The priority is the palace," he said in a smooth tone. "No one leaves."

A protest from those supporting the idea of sending troops out quickly spoke up, but Xuehin continued before their complaining got too far. "Control of the city can be achieved, but we must use the troops not stationed in the palace."

"We don't have enough men," someone said.

"Numbers won't matter. As long as the public sees some sort of control and order, things will calm down significantly." He turned and faced one man in particular. "General Hai, have your men left the city yet, or are they still in the harbor?"

Surprised by his question, Hai appeared to be taken aback by it. There was a short moment that Zuko thought he saw Hai glaring at Xuehin, but he couldn't be sure. He answered back calmly, but he had a hard look in his eyes. "They're still in the harbor."

"Send them out to patrol the streets. The rest of the troops will remain here."

There was a reluctant silence before Hai answered back. "Very well."

Zuko's advisors immediately took to discussing with General Hai what they were going to do next. Zuko's attention, of course, followed the crowd, but the spirit was still staring at Xuehin. The General seemed to realize he was being watched and looked directly at Zuko – the spirit.

Even though it wasn't really Zuko in control of what he was doing, there were very few people who'd lock eyes with him as long as General Xuehin was. Xuehin's eyes squinted slightly in confusion at the spirit.

There was curiosity growing from the spirit and Zuko had a feeling it was about to ask him a question, but something caused the spirit to suddenly stop short and look away. The spirit quickly turned his neck, straining to see the closed doors behind them. Zuko expected something to happen with how intently focused the spirit was, but the doors remained shut.

The spirit, however, continued to stare at them as some sort of recognition crossed its thoughts. Zuko had no idea what to make of it.

"Has it said anything to anyone yet?" someone asked.

"It only spoke with Shen briefly, and it's been silent since we arrived."

"This is not good. We need to find a way to fix this. Especially now that we know Zuko is affected."

"You say that like it's some sort of task we can accomplish-"

"-no one has any idea what is going on-"

"-we need answers!-"

Suddenly, the large doors Zuko was forced to stare at opened. Many turned in their direction as a small group of people stepped through escorted by soldiers. As if summoned by their pleading voices, three men dressed in familiar spiritual robes appeared. Considering that all the Fire Sages had fallen into a coma nearly a week ago, there were many surprised gasps at the sight of them.

The effects of the illness could still be seen. They looked weak, tired, and pale in the face as they looked through the people standing in the room.

Once they spotted Zuko's group, they quickly headed straight for it. Based on what just happened, Zuko assumed that the spirit somehow sensed them and that was the reason for its attention shift. However, as they walked closer, the spirit still kept his eyes at the entry.

Zuko's confusion quickly disappeared the moment he noticed a bald head with a very distinctive blue arrow pointing down. Nervous relief filled him the moment he recognized Aang walking through the doors and he frantically discussed something with one of the sages. Again, Zuko assumed that it was the Avatar the spirit was watching for, but again he was wrong.

It didn't care the least bit and didn't even notice the Avatar's presence. Instead, his eyes focused on the companion he brought in with him. Aang held her close with one hand in hers and the other on her upper arm as though he'd lose her if he let go. Zuko felt his heart beat a little faster when he recognized Katara.

Recognition flashed through both him _and_ the spirit.

As soon as she was through the doors, she looked around the room with wide eyes as though she'd never seen anything like it. However, her curious gaze halted almost immediately as she slowed. Aang turned to look at her when he noticed her pace slow down. A second later, and with no searching at all, her eyes met Zuko's.

They were glowing a brilliant blue.

* * *

A/N: Mostly a setup chapter. Hope you paid attention. There's a lot going on in here and all those little details are going to spell bad news for everyone later on. The next chapter only needs minor edits, so it'll be out shortly. :D


	16. Spirit Bound

A/N: Don't you just love fast updates? Their wonderful...

Responses: I'm so sorry! I can't do responses for last chapter! Real life is calling me, like, RIGHT NOW, but I wanted to get the chapter out fast like I said I would. I'll do responses next chapter I promise! I will say one thing to smileyluvstwilight, though: Careful what you wish for!

There is a point in this story where things are going to flip and you'll probably get mad at me because all you'll be reading is smuttiness every chapter. Seriously, there's A LOT. ;)

Disclaimer: No own, no sue.

* * *

 _Chapter 16_

 **Spirit Bound**

…

Zuko stared down at a plate in front of him against his will. Considering he hadn't eaten since yesterday evening, he expected the spirit to reach out and enjoy the meal the same as the others in the room were.

The spirit merely contemplated the food for a moment more before looking away disinterested.

Zuko really shouldn't be surprised by its reaction. Nothing so far today was interesting enough for the spirit to think twice about. Hungry as he felt, it still didn't warrant more than two seconds of its attention, let alone a taste.

Right on cue, a man sitting next to him (his former advisor) prodded the spirit to at least take a bite. Receiving nothing but silence as an answer, he, along with a few other servants, began to fuss over Zuko. They went on and on attempting their best to try and convince the spirit to cooperate.

They'd been doing this all damn day.

After a very long morning of confusion, fighting, and trying to get things back in order, those in charge finally started making decisions about what to do with people possessed by spirits. They split up the large mass of people gathered in the ballroom and took them to different areas of the palace. Zuko, along with what appeared to be the most important guests and staff members, were brought to a new, far more secure room to sit and wait.

Zuko was priority number one in everyone's eyes, and that meant he had a long line of people tasked with maintaining his welfare during this ordeal.

Even in his current situation, their pestering was starting to get to him.

The spirit hardly spoke to them, Zuko, or anyone else since arriving, and took to glaring and scowling instead. Healers, advisors, and others nagged the spirit with endless questions about where it took Zuko last night, who it was, and why. If it wasn't a glare they got, it was a cryptic phrase instead.

When Zuko was occasionally able to get its attention, it was very brief and the exchange was always argumentative. All in all, he was liking this spirit less and less as the hours passed by.

The spirit was listening to Zuko up until that point and mentally rolled its eyes at his last remark. Bugged by it, Zuko retreated further back from the other being. As long as he paid attention, he found he could keep the spirit from listening to whatever stream of thought he currently had, but it was impossible to be constantly vigilant.

Compared to the atmosphere earlier in the day, things had calmed down considerably. Though he wasn't directly involved, he heard enough to have a good idea of what was going on.

It was sometime in the night the spirits invaded people's minds. Those not possessed and the spirits themselves didn't understand what was going on and both sides panicked. Confusion was followed by rampant chaos. Once people realized what was happening, they were able to restore order, but not without much difficulty.

The spirits proved to be harder to manage than one would think. Like his own spirit had said earlier in the day, half of the people both on the palace grounds and outside of them had spirits controlling them. The other (human?) half were trying desperately to keep them together, accounted for, and under control.

They weren't exactly rebellious, but they didn't act like civil people would. Zuko didn't know much about spirits, but the behavior of those possessed was…odd.

Of those he'd been able to observe so far, each of them had strange quirks. Some were very formal, others could hardly keep up a conversation. There were those that seemed very calm and collected and then others who couldn't sit still and had to constantly be moving as though they were toddlers.

Most people dealt with them like they were unpredictable animals all day long, but while there were those that avoided them completely, there were others who started engaging in conversations with them. To some degree, most of the spirits were generally very calm and talkative now that things were back in order.

It made Zuko briefly wonder what set his grumpy one apart from the rest.

The spirit dropped his eyes from the dark window it was staring at to General Xuehin as he discussed something with the palace guard commander. The general, along with Zuko's advisors and many others, spoke back and forth nonstop since the start of this.

Zuko desperately wished he could be involved. They've been dealing with this mess all day long and Zuko, of course, had no part of it. Not only was the spirit inside him uncooperative to any of his requests, they likely wouldn't tell it anything even if it asked on his behalf.

'Prisoner' felt like too light of a term for what he was feeling. The experience so far was hard enough as is, but to not be involved with making decisions (something he's been in the center of for years) was definitely a tipping point, especially since the man he was looking at was one of the last he'd trust to take over in a time of need. He'd grit his teeth right now if he could.

Of the 96 generals Zuko had, 18 were here in the capital. Out of those 18, only a mere 5 were not possessed by a spirit.

And of those 5, Zuko trusted exactly 0 of them.

Katara's words from that night she healed him rang through his mind. She basically called him a fool for surrounding himself by only the rebellious ones. He was beginning to agree with her. He brought them here to monitor them, but he never took into account a situation like this.

Though they all made him nervous, he had to feel at least a fraction of relief that it was Xuehin in charge and not one of those other hot heads. He was collected and reasonable, at least.

Aside from his incredible track record of getting tasks completed, shadowing every other general in the process, there was very little Zuko knew about him. The man never seemed interested in garnering trust with him, and that was the reason he was here in the first place. Xuehin was an enigma as far as Zuko was concerned.

Growing bored of watching the general, the spirit turned his gaze back to the group he was sitting with, and Zuko was quickly reminded of a lack of presence from a few people.

Sokka, Suki, and their son were missing. Whether someone knew where they were or not was a mystery to Zuko. It worried him, and he hoped they weren't one of the ones who wandered away from the palace.

He counted himself lucky his uncle wasn't missing. He was possessed, but it was hard to tell. If it weren't for his glowing eyes, Zuko would be hard pressed to say it was anyone but his uncle sitting there enjoying the plate of food in front of him.

It didn't take long to learn that Zuko was indeed not seeing things when he saw glowing eyes earlier. For some strange reason, all those possessed had illuminated eyes, which made it easier for everyone to tell who was who.

Uncle's spirit was very jovial and talkative. Since they sat down, he more than once stood up and wandered away to talk to guards or whoever was close to him before he was brought back to sit down.

It seemed he was now decently entertained with speaking to a young scholar sitting next to him. The rest in the group were having light conversations with each other. Zuko's spirit would occasionally get questions from others, but of course they never got an answer.

Not a single spirit wanted to talk with his own. In fact, like earlier, every time a spirit looked at him, it was always in a nervous manner before quickly looking away.

' _You're not very popular, are you?'_ Zuko asked.

" _Quiet, fool."_

Zuko inwardly grumbled in response. He wished Aang would hurry up and figure out a solution for this already.

Once again listening to his thoughts, the spirit moved his eyes to the bald airbender sitting a couple spots away from him. He was quietly discussing something with the High Sage. From what Zuko gathered from conversations here and there, absolutely no one had an explanation for what was happening. Even the Avatar didn't understand why or what to do about it.

On top of a lack of answers, Aang was unnaturally quiet since arriving. Zuko guessed he may have had a long night like the rest of them, but Aang didn't usually act so somber when he was tired. The headaches plaguing spiritualists lately seemed to still be bothering Aang. If he wasn't speaking to a Fire Sage or trying to talk to Katara's spirit, he was grabbing at his temples and putting his head down.

Answerless as they all seemed to be, the one thing they were able to tell everyone was that this breech was going to last only a few days.

Until then, the palace was turned into an impenetrable prison and everything was on lockdown. Zuko's entire guard, or at least, those that weren't possessed had been shadowing him all day. Including Shen, Zuko had no less than seven guards surrounding him at all times.

Aang turned away from the Sage he was speaking to and glanced at Zuko. There was a look of pity in his eyes.

Despite wanting to talk to Aang since the moment he arrived, there was a very small part of Zuko that was grateful he had an excuse not to speak. Needless to say, it was rather awkward being around Aang considering the sort of thoughts…and intentions…he had towards Katara lately.

…and the fact that Zuko had fallen in love with her.

The second he found out, if Zuko even dared to tell him in the first place, it would obliterate a long-held friendship for something that, honestly, started to seem very selfish on his part. Katara more or less rejected him again last night.

Zuko wished the spirit would look away from Aang. The pity in his eyes would not be there if he knew about anything that happened lately.

Something brushed against his knee briefly and the spirit glanced down at the woman sitting next to him.

Her plate was half empty, but she seemed more interested in staring at the ceiling than anything else. Zuko couldn't see what she was looking at, but he knew this room and knew that the view above was decorated in intricate red and gold designs. She seemed almost hypnotized by it.

When their group was gathered in this room to eat, without a word, she managed to slip away from Aang and walked up to where they had Zuko, then sat next to him. After some protest and debate about it from his guards, Aang and others, they decided to let her be.

Her glowing eyes briefly met his before she lightly smiled and looked away again.

Zuko was glad to see she was safe, and relieved to see her even if they couldn't speak. Though, it appears he wasn't the only one.

Zuko could tell that the spirits knew each other before the breech. For one, the most concentration and interest he felt from his spirit was when it recognized her presence before she walked through the door. Also, she seemed to be the only one that didn't look at him in fear like all the others did.

Despite the fact that they knew each other, she hadn't said a word to him yet. She was just as silent as Zuko's spirit. The only thing she wanted to do was constantly look around the room.

Uncle's spirit laughed.

"-will you hear it?" asked the young scholar sitting next to Uncle.

"Hm," said Iroh, "Very well. I will listen to your theory."

"It's something that I came up with earlier." The scholar adjusted himself as though he were about to give a very important speech. "I believe that this is not the first time this breech has happened."

"Ling," said Zuko's former advisor, now the palace scholar, "You told me this before, but there is no proof that it has."

"I know," Ling said simply, "That's why right now it's just a theory."

Zuko immediately turned to the spirit in his mind.

' _You told me this isn't the first time spirits have come here.'_

"… _and?"_

' _Is it true?'_

" _What reason would I have to lie about that?"_

' _You should tell them what you know.'_ With the topic being brought up, Zuko found himself curious about it as well, and he had a feeling that the invader in his mind knew a lot more than what he told him earlier.

" _Yes, I've had a full day of humans telling me what I 'should' do."_

Feeling the rock-hard defiance coming from it, Zuko stopped short and wondered why he bothered to bring the topic up in the first place. He was curious, but not enough to beg the stubborn thing for answers like others had done all day long.

Iroh's spirit looked between the two scholars before settling back on the younger. "Your theory is correct."

Those that were listening to their conversation up until that point froze what they were doing and turned to Iroh.

"So, it's true?" asked Ling, wide-eyed. "Spirits have been here before?"

"Yes, a few times actually."

"How many?" the older scholar asked.

Iroh's spirit brought a hand up to his chin in contemplation. "I don't know," he said curiously. "I don't remember."

Both scholars put their food down in surprise. Ling was suddenly excited. "I suspected as much," he said.

"What would lead you to that conclusion?" asked the High Sage next to Aang.

"Here, I'll put it this way – this breech, this invasion of spirits, is going to change the world, right? Even once their gone?"

The sage hesitated a moment. "I can't disagree with you."

"I've been thinking about it all day and if this has happened in the past, there is substantial proof of it. Throughout history, there have been instances where massive, rapid cultural shifts towards belief in spirits happen all over the Earth."

"Spiritual belief among cultures change all the time."

"Yes, but it's usually a slow, unpredictable process. There is ancient text that points to the idea that it's happened on a global scale practically at the same time."

The sage shook his head slightly. "Your talking about ancient tales, not history."

"Aren't those tales just history in disguise? But that's not the point. Iroh's spirit just confirmed my suspicion."

"He seems to be the only one. You've brought this up with other spirits and none of them knew what you were talking about," said the older scholar. "This can be debated for days, but you're right about one thing. This is going to change the world. With so many people affected, I wonder what this will do to the global economy."

Shen chimed in from behind Zuko. "The economy? You should be more concerned with what it's going to do to the people possessed."

"No need to be so upset," said the scholar, "it's just speculative talk."

"Everyone's been talking about this so nonchalantly. These spirits have caused a lot of damage since they invaded last night," Shen said with folded arms. He was among the group that didn't trust or want to speak to the spirits at all.

Aang finally decided to join the conversation. "They didn't have a choice about coming here, and they were just as confused as we were."

"Besides," said Ling, "I don't think many realize what an incredible opportunity this is. Only the Avatar and great spiritualists of the world have ever communicated with spirits. Yet, here they are right in front of us. We normal people are having _conversations_ with them!"

Shen sighed and looked away.

The scholar hesitated a moment before turning back to Iroh. "Do you have a name?"

"Quon," said Iroh's spirit.

"I am unfamiliar with that one. What kind of spirit are you?"

Again, the spirit tapped his chin in thought. "I'm not sure. I can't remember that either."

Suddenly, Zuko could feel an extreme feeling of irritation come from behind the wall in his mind. The spirit narrowed his eyes at his uncle – Quon. Ling asked for the names of the rest of the spirits in their small group who had remained silent since the beginning. Only one other offered a name and the rest claimed they couldn't remember theirs.

Ling asked Quon about the spirit world. The jovial spirit was happily in the middle of giving an answer when Zuko's spirit took a dive from simple irritation to anger.

"Why do you bother with them?" The spirit interrupted.

Quon briefly locked eyes with Zuko before quickly shrinking away. People looked between Zuko and Iroh's spirit curiously.

Quon reached down and lifted his glass of water and muttered before he drank. "That is what Gallel said the last time."

"Did you just say Gallel?" asked Ling.

Quon briefly glanced in Zuko's direction again before fidgeting slightly. "Yes."

"You know that name?" Aang asked.

The two scholars looked at each other for a moment before turning back. "Yes."

"Are you…referring to a Keeper of The River?" asked the older of the two.

"Yes, how did you know?"

"What do you mean by 'Keeper of The River'?" asked Aang.

Ling turned to him, his brow raised in surprise. "You don't know? But…you're the Avatar?"

Aang blinked a few times before briefly glancing away in embarrassment. The older scholar quickly said, "It's not something the Avatar would know unless he studied ancient text. They're just tales to everyone else. I guess, before now, there was no significance to them other than just theatrical stories."

People and spirits alike in the circle had all stopped eating at one point, too engrossed in the conversation going on. Realizing he now had an audience, the man shifted slightly before continuing in a louder voice. "The story of the keepers are very old. So old that technically they're not referred to as spirits in the tales."

"Then what are they?" asked Shen.

"Something else entirely. We're not exactly sure, but they are guardians of the river of time."

Ling perked up. "The tales say there's five of them that watch over it. They protect the past, present, and future."

" _Sands_ of time, _ocean_ of time, _river_ of time. Sounds like a fairy tale to me," said Shen.

"That is why you're hired muscle and not a scholar," said Ling matter-of-factly. Zuko couldn't see Shen, who was standing behind him, but when Ling looked up to him with a hint of smugness in his eyes, it didn't last very long. He looked away, no doubt from the glare Shen was giving him.

"Well, it _was_ a tale. Until now," said Ling with a slightly lowered voice.

"Let's not jump to any conclusions," said the elder. "We still don't know if the text was translated correctly."

Ling didn't seem to hear that last part and stared off. "What I would give to a have a conversation with one of them, or any of the older spirits for that matter." He turned to Quon. "Do you know if any of them came through?"

Quon looked side to side a little frantic. Suddenly, Zuko felt himself start to get agitated again and the spirit's thoughts simmered.

"Well?" prompted Ling.

"I doubt he or any other spirit would know. They-" the man stopped short when Quon wordlessly lifted a finger and pointed straight at Zuko and Katara.

Everyone was quiet for a moment as widened eyes now fell on them. Zuko's spirit was still busy glaring at Quon. Katara didn't seem to be bothered by their gawking and just smiled lightly. Once again, Ling's face lit up. "Incredible. What are your names?"

Both the spirit and Zuko had a thought of 'As if you haven't asked a thousand times already.'

"I don't think I have one," Katara said lightly.

"But…you must have a name?"

Ling turned back to Quon, who only shrugged his shoulders.

' _You might as well just tell them. They're going to pester you for it until you do.'_

Zuko was hiding the fact that he, too, was curious about its name. Before then, he didn't care much for it at all, but he knew the stories of the River of Time. If the spirit really was one of the five from the tale, or even an older, well-known spirit he wanted to know which.

The only response he got from the spirit was a slight mental shove at Zuko as if trying to push him back into pits of his mind where the spirit wouldn't have to hear him. Zuko didn't realize what was going on at first, but quickly threw up his wall to keep it from doing it. It worked and the spirit backed off and merely hovered around the border.

"I may know what hers is," said the older scholar. He looked back to Katara. "Are you one of the five guardians?"

She considered it for a moment. "Yes."

He turned to Quon. "Are the spirits' possession gender specific?"

"For the most part, yes."

Looking to Katara again, he leaned forward in contemplation. "Of the five spirits, are you the only female?"

She nodded.

"The Lover and The Liar," he said to himself.

"You must be Ruby," said Ling.

For a moment, both scholars looked at her in awe before Aang spoke up, "Who would that make Zuko's spirit?"

"He could be any of the remaining four," said the older scholar. "Gallel, Memnar, Malik, or Rozu, whose name was lost in translation."

"Those are strange names for spirits…" Aang said lowly before he looked away embarrassed again. Zuko could almost understand how Aang was feeling. He was supposed to be the one with all the answers here, but instead he had to be taught by people who were historians rather than spiritualists.

When asked if he had any memory of who is was, Zuko's spirit finally decided to break the silence. "Our memory of the spirit world does not follow us here." He sighed, "There is very little any of us are able to remember."

He sounded convincing, but Zuko could feel he was hiding something underneath those words.

As the spirit continued to stare at the older scholar, Zuko was suddenly aware how silent the room had fallen. His eyes wouldn't move to confirm, but there were more people gathered around their group to listen to what was being said. He could even faintly see General Xuehin standing within earshot.

"Ruby," Katara's spirit said as though testing the word. She smiled lightly again.

"We don't actually know if that's your name. Yours was also lost in translation from the ancient text," said Ling. "They gave you the name Ruby, like the jewel, because of your story."

"What is her story?" asked Shen.

A few others mumbled the question as well. Ling looked around in disbelief. "Don't any of you pay attention to history? The stories of the River of Time are part of our heritage!"

The older scholar was a little calmer as he took over the conversation. "It's the story of The Lover and The Liar."

One of Zuko's advisors spoke up from behind, "We don't have enough time for stories. It is getting too late."

"No," said Shen, "this could be important."

Everyone turned eagerly back to the scholar. "Very well, I will tell the short version of it. As you all know, or _should_ know, a play is based off this story. It's one of the earlier ones that talk of the struggle of good and evil.

"There was a very old, beloved king who ruled over a kingdom. It was a time when elemental bending had not yet entered our world. It was also a time that spirits walked the Earth. In the kingdom, there was no such thing as hate, aggression, or sadness. Everyone who lived there were good people who did not know the meaning of sorrow. Concepts such as murder, thieving, or lying could not be understood in this place.

"For a very long time, there was peace in the kingdom, until a shadow in the distance started to grow. The evil king Memnar came and intended to destroy the peaceful kingdom. Seeing the threat coming and knowing his people would be powerless to fight, the king sent his mighty forces out to stop the coming doom.

"But his soldiers could not defeat the dark legions and the evil king continued his advance. Like the soldiers, when the darkness came across the people, they were unable to fight it and began so succumb the malevolent temptation spreading over the land.

"The king began to grow desperate as every day his people began to disappear into the darkness, so he sent his seven sons to fight off the coming doom. Their stories are each very long and detailed, but in the end, Memnar was able to defeat and sway all of them to his side.

"When his sons were defeated, all hope was lost. The mighty kingdom was nearly encompassed in shadow when the king decided, with a heavy heart, to send the only person that could stop the evil king."

The scholar looked to Ruby. "His beloved daughter."

He continued, "While all the people in the land were good, she was purest of them all. If anything could stop the evil coming, it would be her. With tears in his eyes, he sent his daughter into the heart of the blackness, straight to the king.

"Ruby, however, did not defeat him. The king thought the worst of her, but Memnar did not hurt her. It is said that he fell in love with the purity of her heart. When that happened, when the evil king experienced love for the first time, he lost his power and the dark cloud gripping the kingdom began to retreat.

"As the enemy slowly retreated, the king's sons were pulled from the darkness and brought back to the light. The kingdom began to rejoice as light once again ruled over the lands. However, just as the evil king was to fade back into oblivion, the king's daughter had not yet emerged.

"When she did for a brief moment, he saw that the purity and goodness in her was tainted. The evil that had touched her heart made it so she could not go home. She could not go back to her father, and she couldn't continue to live his kingdom. She had to stay with Memnar and disappeared with him forever into oblivion. The king died of a broken heart to lose the kingdom's purest sole."

When he ended, he moved his eyes from Ruby to other faces around the room, who seemed to come out of a small trance from his story-telling. "She was given the name 'Ruby' because her soul was tainted red by the hate of the evil king."

"Fairytale," muttered Shen under his breath.

"Like I said, that is the very short, 'child's story' version of it."

Ling looked to Ruby and said in a calmer voice, "Is that story true?"

Ruby brought her finger and lightly touched her lip as she squinted her eyes. "No," she said simply.

"But, are there aspects of it that are true?"

She shook her head.

Zuko was so focused on the scholar's story that he didn't noticed how amused the spirit inside him was. Its sour mood lightened slightly and it was decently entertained by what it just heard.

" _I'm assuming all the stories are as ridiculous as that one?"_

Zuko didn't answer and stepped back far enough that it couldn't hear him. He knew some of the other stories and, yes, they were all told with a similar tone. He didn't want the spirit curious enough about it to invade his mind just to learn about them.

Ling continued to ask Ruby questions and she continued to give him answers that only seemed to confuse him more. Other conversations started up around them again in hushed voices, and there were a lot more glances in Zuko and Katara's direction than there were before.

When Katara – er, Ruby, could no longer give the answers that Ling wanted, he turned to continue asking them to Quon. Like before, he grew nervous and constantly glanced at Zuko, as if he was trying to ask for permission. Zuko's spirit slowly shook his head when the other spirit turn to look at him again.

After that small gesture that no one seemed to notice, Quon did not speak again.

As the younger scholar complained about the new silence, Zuko could see Aang stand up from the place he was sitting. He disappeared without a word.

* * *

Aang vaguely listened to the hum of voices going on in the room behind him while he watched the swaying trees outside the window he was near, but his attention was on neither. For the hundredth time that night, he reached up and pressed his fingers to his temple, but the added pressure did nothing for the headache.

It was the same headache he had since the lights first appeared in the sky. It disappeared last night, but now it was back and with a nagging ringing to add. Maybe 'nagging' wasn't the right word to describe it. 'Tugging' sounded like a better fit. He hadn't left Katara alone all night until the sensation was too much and drove him out into the hall.

He heard footsteps behind him and turned to see Sokka stop a few feet away from him. His shoulders were hunched forward and the bags under his eyes looked worse than earlier. He wasn't surprised when he didn't get a usual upbeat greeting.

It was quiet for a moment before Aang spoke slowly, "How's your son?"

"My son, or the spirit stuck in his head?" he asked bitterly.

Aang frowned. Sokka shook his head after a moment. "I'm sorry. I'm just frustrated. He's doing better. He's asleep now."

"It's fine. I understand."

"One of the Fire Sages thinks the people they possess may not be awake. He says there's a chance they'll wake up with no memory of this whole ordeal. Do you think it's true?"

His voice was firm, but there was a pleading edge to it. Aang's throat tightened as he had to give Sokka the same answer he gave him and everyone else all day long. "I don't know. I'm so sorry, Sokka. I wish I had answers. I still can't sense the spirit world, and I can't even enter the Avatar State."

Sokka looked to the ground and nodded. Aang continued, "He's just an infant. He's not going to remember any of this."

"I know, but that's not the point. I find it strange that he gets a high fever the moment the spirit took over him. It was getting higher until it broke just over two hours ago. I thought for sure-" his voice faltered slightly. He quickly looked away and took in a breath. "He's been with the healers all day long. Suki hasn't left his side. She's exhausted. I am too."

"Go lay down with them. I'm sure the worst of it's over, and if not, the northern tribe's healers will be there."

"They're ready to pass out too. I trust them, but…I wish it was Katara." Aang's face fell at the mention of her name. "How is she?"

Slowly, Aang explained everything that happened over dinner. Sokka's face remained unchanging as he told him everything. Sokka didn't have much to say and simply nodded here and there, but Aang didn't blame him. He was practically asleep on his feet.

"I feel bad for leaving earlier and not coming back," said Sokka.

"I know she'll understand. You can explain it to her when she's back to normal."

Footsteps echoed behind them and they both turned to see a High Sage Shyu walk up. Sokka offered a goodnight and turned to leave. Aang tried to protest, saying he didn't have to go, but Sokka waved him off with an empty smile and silence where a joke would usually be.

Aang turned back to the elderly Fire Sage. Absentmindedly, he reached up to rub his temple again.

"You can hear it too?"

Aang froze and looked at him with questioning eyes.

He was about to ask him how he could possibly know, but had to remind himself that he wasn't the only one plagued with headaches since the start. Also, the man standing before him was very much a mentor to Aang. He may be the Avatar, but there was still much he needed to learn, and Shyu was one of the few capable of teaching him.

"What is it?" asked Aang.

"A call."

"I don't understand."

"I believe a spirit is reaching out to you."

"How is that possible? I still can't sense the spirit world."

"Not the spirit world." He lifted his hand up. "It's calling to you in this one. I don't understand how or why, but I think you should go to it."

He shook his head. "No, I'm not leaving."

He was not going to leave Katara. Not like this.

"Aang…"

"How do you know it's not reaching out to you?"

"Please don't think me a fool. You know as well as I the spirit's call is not for me."

Aang swallowed and lowered his head. He had an inkling of a guess his headache had something to do with a spirit, but he didn't want to believe it.

He knew better, he really did, but no matter how many times he was put between choosing duty or Katara in a situation like this, it was always Katara first. However, the buzzing in his head seemed to grow louder that moment, and like a shadow he couldn't get away from, the nagging feeling began to grow until it became too tiring to argue with.

"But why is it so important? I don't know what it wants."

"You can stay if that is what you want. I thought to ignore it myself, but now I'm not so sure." Shyu ran a hand over his face. "As I've already told you, I don't remember the past month at all. It concerns me greatly what the others told me about my behavior during it all."

"You mean talking about the end of the world?"

He hesitated. "Yes. Perhaps I really was just sick in the mind, but if there's a chance I was seeing and understanding things about this breech, we need to know what it was. We have tried tirelessly all day long to make sense of it, asking countless spirits and trying to contact the spirit world. If there is a spirit powerful enough to reach out to you during all of this, I believe it may be able to give us some answers."

"This could be a waste of time," he said dejected. "or a trap."

"There is always that risk too…"

Aand sighed, "I don't know how to find it."

"Start moving, and you will find yourself going in the right direction."

"What will I find?"

"I don't know."

The only answer they had.

With another heavy sigh, he turned and walked over to the doors and peered into the room. The people in the room were starting to stand up as their plates emptied and guards started moving around. He watched Katara with apologetic eyes. He almost changed his mind to leave, but didn't when he saw the glowing azure of her eyes.

Aang decided against telling her goodbye, promising to himself he'd be back before she noticed. He turned on his heel and headed towards the outer doors.

* * *

Zuko's eyes involuntarily moved around the room he was in. It was secure, and that was probably the reason Shen chose to stick him in there for the night, but Zuko didn't care for the comfort people seemed to think he needed in this situation. He would have been fine with being locked up like many of the other seemed to be.

He was tired and still hungry, but like it's attitude towards food earlier, the spirit didn't lie down on the decent-sized bed. It merely sat on it instead and stared off into space. Occasionally, it would glance at the three guards in the room with him, but it never said a word. It was obviously annoyed by the added presence and the staring they were doing.

Zuko inwardly grumbled when his back started to ache. _'Is there a reason you don't want to sleep?'_ he asked.

" _I don't need it."_

' _Well, I do.'_

" _Then sleep. No one is stopping you."_

Was it serious right now? _'I can't do it sitting up like this.'_

" _That is your problem, not mine_ ," it said, extremely condescending.

Zuko sat there angrily for a few minutes before deciding to try to fall asleep in his current state, but despite the fact that he couldn't control his body, it was hopeless. He was still too hyper-aware that his body was awake. It was just another thing to add to the list of reasons he detested this spirit.

Completely in control, invading his thoughts whenever it wanted to, and being as difficult as it could in every situation. He was also starting to suspect the thing was avoiding doing certain actions simply because Zuko asked it to; as if it was just pure defiance. He couldn't stand it anymore. His tolerance took a nose dive after that last exchange, and he dreaded the idea of waiting days to be free of its clutches.

' _You know more than you've let on about this breach,'_ Zuko stated with heavy resentment.

" _You're not wrong."_

' _Then what is it? What do I not know that you're keeping from me?'_

He asked the questions, but already knew he'd be met without an answer. He was very tired, and quickly losing control of his temper. He couldn't help starting an argument, and he didn't care it was going to get him nowhere. He was just pissed right now. _'What's your name? You're one of the five, I know that much. So, which is it?'_

" _What difference would it make?"_

The exact answer he expected.

' _Ugh!'_

" _You should practice some self-control. Your tantrums are starting to turn very child-like."_

Zuko simmered. _'Just answer the damn question.'_

" _No."_

' _Bastard.'_

Angered, the spirit's tone darkened, _"Earlier in the day you wondered whether I was dangerous or not. I'm only giving you one warning. Stay quiet if you know what's good for you."_

' _I'm not afraid of you.'_

Zuko meant it. It may be in control of his body, but the most it could do was argue with him. Listening to Zuko's stream of thought, something suddenly snapped within the spirit. It attacked Zuko, intending to dig its claws into his mind, but Zuko was well aware of that antic by now and erected his wall immediately.

However, unlike the other invasions, this one was different. There was extreme aggression in it, and the spirit wasn't aiming for simple thoughts like the other times. It felt like it was aiming straight at Zuko's soul.

That caught him by surprise. The spirit was forced to step back, but not without making it very clear that if it had gotten to what it was just aiming for, it would have torn Zuko to shreds.

Though he was feeling confident, the lingering idea of what might have happened just now had he not thrown his wall up made him a little nervous. Barging into his thoughts was one thing, but aiming straight for the core of his being was a little unsettling, and Zuko's rebellious mood was lost almost instantly because of it.

Once again, the spirit was left to stare at him through the border. _"You should be,"_ it hissed.

They mentally glowered at each other for a long minute before a sound of rustling uniforms grabbed both of their attention. The three guards in the room were no longer looking at him and instead lifted their heads a little higher, staring blankly. A moment later, each of them turned and headed toward the door at the same time.

Alarm swept through Zuko as they just walked out of the room leaving him completely alone. Zuko knew they had strict orders not to let him out of their sight. Why on earth would they just leave?!

The spirit was equally confused before it turned his head in the other direction when a different sound came from outside the balcony door. His eyes widened when he saw Ruby jump to the ground from the roof above. She slowly stood up and peered through the glass before quietly opening the door.

When she stepped in, the wind from outside blew past her, picking up her hair and ends of her robe in the process. Zuko was immediately distracted by her eyes, which glowed even brighter with the lack of light.

She shut the door and turned back to Zuko. The frustration the spirit was feeling earlier practically disappeared and all that was left was its typical dull mood. She walked towards Zuko unhurriedly while he was busy wondering where his guards had gone to and how she was able to get past her own.

And what she was doing here.

She stopped right in front of Zuko, closer than he expected and looked down at him. "I didn't think I'd be able to find you," she said softly.

Her tone of voice made his heart flutter, and he was almost certain it was because of him and not the spirit.

She lifted her hand and reached out to him, but it paused midair. She seemed uncertain for a long moment, but then lightly touched his face. His eyes closed and the spirit didn't protest the move at all.

They were two separate beings – Zuko and the spirit. They had different thoughts, different reactions to things, and there was a clear separation with it. However, the one thing Zuko found he couldn't escape was the emotion. Whatever he felt, the spirit felt too and vice versa. It was almost impossible to escape, and so that left them both susceptible to what the other was feeling.

Zuko's shock and nervousness about her randomly showing up in the room was suddenly mixed with complete calm and indifference. Practically against his will (again), he was put into a trance by her soft touch.

Yet, he was still in control enough to ask questions, and it only took a few seconds make Zuko realize this shouldn't be happening. The spirit, who was bitter and spiteful towards everyone, was letting her do this without a second thought.

It should be scowling at her and telling her to leave him alone like it would anyone else.

Her soft fingers ran over his scarred eye ever so slightly.

Realization suddenly hit him like a ton of rocks, and he wondered how he hadn't seen the signs earlier in the day. Ruby was the only person it hadn't had ill will towards all day long.

' _Memnar,'_ said Zuko. _'That's who you are, isn't it?'_

He hesitated for a long moment completely distracted by Ruby's touch but finally said the admitting word. _"Yes."_

Instead of sitting on the victory of his discovery, Zuko felt only the exact opposite. Whether the story was true or not, whether he was 'the source of evil' or something else, Zuko did know one thing. This spirit – Memnar – could not be trusted. He may not be much of a danger to Zuko, but it was a different story to others. Outside of his mind, Zuko would not be able to stop him, no matter what he chose to do.

It was a terrifying thought, especially since Ruby, the spirit in complete control of Katara, was his lover. And she was standing right in front of him.

* * *

A/N: BAM! Fastest update in the history of updates! There's one scene in the next chapter I'm rewriting, so hang tight for that. If all goes according to plan, it'll be out in a couple of days (hopefully).

So, bad cliffhanger? Have any ideas how this next scene between the two spirits is going to play out? I'll give you a hint - the rise in sexual tension doesn't just apply to Part I of this story!

See ya soon!


	17. The Lover and The Liar

A/N: I drew one of the scenes in this chapter, but don't go to DeviantArt until the chapter is over! It'll ruin the surprise! ;)

Responses:

TinyArtist: I agree last chapter was lengthy. Most of it could have been spread out in 2 or 3 more chapters, but I wanted to jump right into the good stuff ASAP. Glad you liked it, though! nevertalk: Here it is! Hope you like it! 25Carin: Updates will come faster than usual, hopefully. Us Zutarians live for smut and fluff, don't we? God, I'm so glad someone invented FanFiction. What would we do without this site?

ILOVETHIS: What! Did I miss something? 'o.o TheSylerBlue: Good! They're going to keep coming! VengefulGeyzer: I can tell you that behind the scenes Suki is a mess. Her poor little boy…I'm a terrible person… DK009: She's definitely the character who's shrouded in the most mystery. I'd like to say she's the most difficult to understand, too.

fan fan: Awe, thank you! Hope you like this one! starry-eyed: You're welcome! I'll try to keep em coming quick. slylah808: With that book, I'd say Katara has a head start on all of us. Who knows how far she got? Or how much she learned? Enjoy the chapter! :) TheLastDigidestined: It's better than last time. I'll tell you that much! Definitely more sexual tension in this revision.

Smileyluvstwilight: Smut is coming, in heaps lol. Sokka's son was possessed in the last version, but I don't blame you for forgetting. Updates used to be pretty stretched out for this fic. I'm trying to give it some more love and attention these days, though. EternalFire1984: Glad you like them so far! Hopefully, this chapter will shed some light on their characters for you.

Rivierra: …yeah, Memnar has issues. BIG ONES. waking-up-with-happiness: Zuko shoulda listened to Katara… haha thank you for the reviews! Azucuache: Hey, thank you for the detailed review. You pointed out something I've been aiming for the entire story – realism. I wanted to keep their reactions as believable as possible and thank you for noticing that. I'm glad I seem to be doing a good job in that department. Sorry for the frustration…it gets better now that the spirits are here! Zuko needed a guy-friend and thus Shen popped into my head. Glad you like him! :D

Enjoy the chapter.

Disclaimer: No own, no sue.

* * *

 _Chapter 17_

 **The Lover and The Liar**

…

Katara's hand slowly ran down Zuko's cheek. With each inch she brushed across, his face would soften from his usual hard-set stare. The warmth from his skin was welcome against her cool fingertips, which were still chilled from traipsing across the palace rooftops not a few minutes ago. Mirroring his softening expression, a sense of calmness came over her, and her body relaxed at the feeling.

Her mind was a different story.

Katara watched nervously as Ruby dared to go further and reached up, running her hand through Zuko's black hair. It was smooth and soft, just as she once imagined it would be.

Cringing at how utterly strange this whole situation was, she mentally cursed again at the fact that Ruby had to touch _everything_ and Zuko, or rather Memnar, wasn't an exception. She tugged at Ruby's consciousness for the thousandth time since she somehow managed to sneak out of the room she was in earlier to wander here.

Ruby didn't hear her. The spirit was in a complete daze as her fingers moved downward until they brushed over Zuko's lips.

' _RUBY!'_ she yelled.

This time, Ruby heard her and jumped at the loud voice before she froze. Memnar opened his eyes and looked up at her when she pulled her hand back.

Katara was stunned for a moment, completely caught by surprise. This was one in only a handful of times she was able to get Ruby's attention. Thinking quickly, Katara spoke as soon as she could before Ruby's attention faded away, as it had so many times already _. 'Stop this right now.'_

" _Why?"_ she asked, genuinely curious.

Where to begin? The fact that she sneaked away from her assigned guards to come _here_ of all places, or the fact that she was touching someone with Katara's hands without her permission? Katara stuck with an easier answer instead, but made sure to send the emotion that said exactly how she felt about it _. 'Because it's wrong.'_

" _Oh,"_ is all she said. She took a step back and just stood there, vaguely waiting for Katara to tell her something else.

Unbeknownst to her, unlike Zuko's spirit, the spirit in Katara was not prone to ignoring everything she said. Ruby was rather easy to talk to. She never refused to speak to Katara and was generally very calm and cooperative. Like now, whenever she asked Ruby to do something, she usually did.

However, that was only _if_ she could get her attention.

Ruby occupied a part of her mind so far from Katara that if felt as though she was just a tiny star in a massive black sky. No matter the amount of screaming and tugging she did, Ruby didn't seem to hear or feel any of it. Katara couldn't explain what she'd done different to get her attention this time, but she held onto it, desperate not to let it go. _'You need to take us back to where we were. We can't be here…'_

" _But why?"_ she asked innocently, _"I don't want to go."_

' _Because this-'_

This was dangerous. They were alone. No guards were here to monitor two unpredictable spirits. So, _so_ many more reasons.

' _Just please take us back, Ruby,'_ Katara said nervously.

Her eyes fixed on Memnar. He was sitting on the edge of the bed with his arms hanging loosely against his knees. His hair was down and he was hunched forward slightly. It was a casual position and setting, one her and Zuko had been in plenty of times before.

Katara was having a difficult time remembering that it was it was not just Zuko in front of her seeing him so relaxed and natural. If it weren't for the unmistakable golden-red glow of his eyes, she wouldn't be able to bring herself to believe she was staring at a stranger right now.

"Do you want me to leave?" she asked.

He was quiet for a few seconds. "No."

It was Zuko's voice, but not his answer. Ruby seemed satisfied by his word alone and dropped her confusion for Katara's protests.

"Memnar," Ruby said softly. "That's what they call you here."

"I know," he said in a lowered voice.

Ruby figured it out the moment the scholar said his name during the story he told earlier. However, part of Katara already knew it was him when she found out the spirit in her mind was _the_ 'Ruby' from the stories she'd been reading lately. It wasn't hard to put two and two together after doing nothing but stare at Zuko all day long with looks of adoration.

The Lover and The Liar. The story of evil falling in love with good. It still absolutely baffled her that a well-known spirit had control of her, one she was reading a book about only a few nights ago.

And Zuko…he was taken over by Memnar, Ruby's other half, or something like that. The details of the previous night were hazy at best, but Katara could clearly remember standing next to Zuko when the sky erupted in terrifying blue light. Was that the reason they were taken over by spirits who knew each other?

" _You think he's evil?"_ Ruby asked, interrupting Katara's train of thought.

Unsettled by her peeping on her thoughts, Katara answered, _'No, that's not what I was thinking.'_

" _Yes, it was."_

It didn't sound like an accusation, but instead more like a fact being stated. There wasn't much Katara could say to argue back. It was literally impossible to lie to Ruby without her knowing. They were sharing thoughts, afterall.

' _It's what the story says. I know you say it's not true, but there's a lot you don't remember. How do you know some of it isn't real?'_

" _It's not,"_ she said wistfully.

Katara didn't press further, getting the feeling Ruby would be no more cooperative if she were to ask a second time.

'Innocent' was the perfect word to describe the spirit in her head. Blissfully ignorant and clueless, Ruby had a child-like fascination with everything around her, and seemed to be either incapable or uninterested in discussing serious ideas or subjects. Among the various traits that came with a personality like that, the one that dominated all the rest was her unchanging peacefulness.

It was an abnormal calm Katara felt only a handful of times in her life, and usually very briefly, but with Ruby it was never ending. So far, no matter the situation, how desperate, dangerous, or dire it may be, she remained placid and unchanged. Ruby had her own mind separated from Katara, but her calmness was like a flood. One that Katara was drowning in. It was unnatural in more ways than one.

It was that trait which mirrored so closely with the stories that made Katara suspect the other spirit sitting in front of her might possess some of the same qualities they claimed, but it was proving difficult to contemplate. A spirit wasn't what she saw when she looked at him. It was just Zuko.

She tried to see through the glow of his eyes to the person she knew was in there, wondering if he was trying to see her the way she was trying to see him.

Her shift of attention came at great price. Before she knew it, Ruby was slipping away from her again. Shocked, Katara chased her as far as she could; screaming, yelling, and doing everything possible not to lose her attention, but she could only go so far before Ruby disappeared.

Left alone to stare at the tiny light in the dark that was Ruby, Katara mentally yelled in frustration when she was left alone in her own little corner, knowing that it would be awhile before she'd be able to get the spirit's attention again.

Katara went back to doing what she had all day long – watched with dismay as her body moved on its own and her lips spoke words she didn't tell them to.

"Do you remember it? The spirit world?"

"Very little," he said.

Ruby tilted her head slightly in contemplation. One of Katara's bound strands of hair brushed against her cheek. Ruby reached up and played with it curiously for a moment before her fingers found the bead holding it together. To her chagrin, Katara could only watch as she pulled it out along with the other. Without a second thought, she let them fall to the floor.

They were Katara's favorite beads, ones she only wore for special occasions. They disappeared from her sight as they bounced under the bed. Her hair was rarely completely free, and Katara felt almost naked because of it.

Suddenly, Memnar stood up and passed her. He quietly walked up to the door and peeked through the crack. After looking into the hall for a moment, he turned back to her with a quizzical expression. He closed it a second later, then headed back towards her.

"I don't remember much either," she started. "It's so strange how easily we can forget our home. I-"

She stopped when he stepped close to her and lightly grabbed the tip of her chin. Slowly, he leaned in as he lifted her face towards him. Katara's heart was instantly hammering from the shock of his closeness.

He stopped a few inches away from her face and stared into her eyes, looking between them as if she was trying to find something. Ruby parted her lips, completely unsure of both what was going on and the reaction she had. The spirit didn't think about her next words as they stumbled out. "What _can_ you remember?" she nearly whispered.

"You," he said lowly.

Memnar must have found whatever he was looking for. He leaned back and took the touch of his fingers with him. Instantly, Katara was back to being as nervous as she was the moment she stepped into the room. They were getting too close – Ruby was touching him, now he was touching _her_.

' _This is bad…'_ Katara thought desperately.

Memnar sat back down on the bed, but with a scowl to add this time. "The last thing I saw were those damn lights, then they pulled me through."

Ruby blinked a few times before looking down at him. "Some don't seem to mind them, but I've always been afraid of them."

"I never understood why until I saw them myself."

"What was it like for you?"

He sighed and stared off in deep thought. "I've never felt anything worse than crossing that bridge. Having your entire being stripped, and all that comes through is a shadow of who you are. Had I known that, I would have-"

Memnar stopped short and looked at the ground. A lump formed in Katara's throat. The moment Katara felt it, she tried to hone in on Ruby's mood more to understand why there was a growing pain in her chest. Without realizing it, Katara reached out to her. She didn't intend to offer her comfort; the gesture seemed to be a complete automatic response.

Immediately, she pulled back once she realized what she was doing, but felt bad about it for some reason.

"You would have stayed away from me…" Ruby finished.

He looked back up at her with slightly widened eyes. "No, that's not what I meant. All of us go through at least once – it's bound to happen no matter what. I don't think me being randomly picked this time had anything to do with us being together."

"Oh…"

At her tone, he narrowed his eyes. "Do you think I'm lying to you?"

"No, I don't. It's just…you think it happens by chance?"

"Of course it does." When Ruby didn't answer back, his face softened. He studied her eyes for a long moment. "I hardly recognize you."

"I look different, but I promise it's me."

"I know. It's hard to resist that pull you have over me," he said before his tone darkened. "Even in this world I can't be free of you."

Ruby stepped closer to him, and he straightened up a little in response. "Do you want me to leave?" she asked. Though, unlike before, her question this time held a deeper meaning. Her hand reached out and touched his face again.

He closed his eyes and sighed, leaning into her. "No," he whispered.

Minutes passed as Ruby continued to run her fingertips across his skin curiously. The slow movements seemed to be lulling him into a sleepy state. His shoulders slowly loosened and he seemed completely content to let her do as she pleased. However, her hand was stopped when she touched his lips again. They were running from one corner of his bottom lip to the other when he stiffened and put a hand over hers.

"What is it?" she asked.

Memnar pulled her hand away from him and looked at her open palm. With apprehension in his eyes, he eventually let her go, letting his own hand slowly fall back down. Though, it never touched his knee and hovered above it instead.

"What are you thinking right now?" she asked.

"I was-" He stopped when Ruby wasted no time to touch his face again. His lips parted with a small sigh. "Why are you doing this?"

Ruby slowed and blinked at his question. "What do you mean?"

"Why are you touching me?"

"I want to. Do you not like it?"

"No, it's just..."

Memnar shifted uncomfortably, but he didn't push her away. In fact, when his eyes closed again, his hovering hand reached out for her. He seemed extremely hesitant as he inched closer until his hand landed on her waist.

Katara was so wrapped up with what was going on that the feeling of the warmth of his hand seeping into her hip brought her attention back to where it should have been the whole time. Chilled dread ran up her back and she would have swallowed hard if she could.

' _Ruby,'_ she prodded nervously as she watched something flicker through Zuko's glowing eyes.

He had never touched her there before, and it was a sick feeling to know he was being forced to. His hand didn't stay put for long and slid up a few inches. Ruby squirmed slightly at the sensation and cleared her throat. "It's just you and I here. I don't think the others came through."

"Good," he said bitterly. "I'm ready for this to be over. I've grown sick of humans, this world, this fragile body… _annoying pests_."

Memnar finally pulled his hand back and pressed his fingers to his temple.

' _Zuko,'_ Katara thought.

"It's not so bad," said Ruby. He looked at her in disbelief. "There's so much here that we don't have in the spirit world."

"What exists in this world that makes it worth coming to?"

Ruby brought her hand up to her chest and fidgeted slightly. Katara could feel her confusion about Memnar's behavior right now. Apparently, this was one of the first times she's seen him so disdainful towards her. Ruby wasn't quite sure how to handle it.

"Where we come from, everything is unchanging – limitless. Here, though, no matter what, everything you see has an end." Ruby held out her hand and inspected it. "It will never be the same after this moment."

"Pathetic."

"I find it…sad…"

"Why are you like this?" he muttered. "How is it we are the way we are, and yet so different from each other?"

"You don't remember?"

He looked away.

"I knew the answer in the spirit world," she said, "I will tell you if I remember."

Memnar considered her words but didn't comment further. The negative aura he was giving off diminished and Ruby quietly let out the breath she was holding in relief. When the spirit turned her attention to elsewhere in the room, Katara's attention stayed on Memnar at the corner of her eye. He didn't say anything as he watched her, and his eyes eventually wandered up and down. They were shameless, not caring about lingering in certain parts for too long. Katara was positive the sudden blush on her cheeks was because of her.

His eyes suddenly halted and he reached up to pinch the bridge of his nose with an aggravated sigh. Ruby looked back at him and it was then Katara wondered if maybe he was having some sort of conversation with Zuko. He scowled angrily and reached up to rub his eyes.

"You're tired," said Ruby.

He froze. "I don't need sleep."

"You do here."

' _How would you know that, Ruby?'_

She received no answer from the tiny light in the darkness, but it made Katara wonder whether this was Ruby's first time coming to this world. In fact, now that she thought about it, Ruby seemed to know exactly what she was doing since the moment Katara woke up. It only added to the mystery that was Ruby.

"I don't want it."

"Then, perhaps we could take a walk?"

He shook his head.

"What is it you _do_ want?"

Memnar straightened a little and looked intensely between her eyes. "I don't know."

A few seconds later, he reached out and hooked his arm around her waist. He pulled her closer, turned them both, and practically threw her on the bed. Both Ruby and Katara gasped and looked at him wide-eyed. He said nothing and leaned down to hover over her, pressing his hands into the bed at either side of her.

Katara was thrown into an instant panic as Ruby looked between his too-close eyes, bewildered. She wouldn't let herself directly acknowledge how bad this situation was until now. Her and Zuko taken over by spirits who were lovers. The two of them alone, completely unsupervised by guards that should be here. Both of them reduced to powerless spectators.

Memnar slid a leg between hers and pushed his weight on his knee so he could balance above her with just one arm. He moved his free hand upward until it was about to touch her face. However, he paused, like he did earlier, and his eyes narrowed.

He pressed against her cheek the way Ruby did to him, then ran his fingers upward, stopping at the corner of her eye.

No. No, no, no…

He wasn't going to- They weren't-

"Why did you come to me?" he asked.

Ruby couldn't manage any words with her heart pounding so fiercely. She seemed to be unable to think past his light touch. Katara tried hard to focus and keep a clear mind, but Ruby's emotions were pouring over her. She felt she could hardly breathe because of it, and soon Katara found herself stumbling just remember that this was all _wrong_.

She was given a lifeline when Memnar pulled his hand away and put it back on the bed at her side. However, the momentary clarity was not enough. The dizzy haze he was causing still had them both trapped.

"There is no reason for us to be near each other here."

"What?" she asked, breathless and confused.

"This will only be a mere speck in our existence. Yet, since the moment you saw me here, you act as though that's not the case – constantly following me, trying to get close, and touching me. Why do you want to be near me?"

"I…" she whispered, "I just want to. I came to you because wanted to see you tonight."

"You've seen me, and you've gotten close to me," he hummed. "Does that satisfy you?"

She didn't answer him, and he tilted his head slightly.

"You have what you came for. Do you intend to leave now?"

"I don't want to…"

"You wish to stay?"

"Yes…"

He was still as he regarded her for a long, tense moment. He looked irritated at first, but then his face fell. His eyes dropped half-lidded as a small frown curved across his lips, and Katara could only describe the expression as one of defeat.

"Is 'want' all you do, Ruby?" he asked quietly.

Before she could think of an answer, Memnar closed his eyes and leaned away. Cold air settled over her as he sunk to the bed right next to her. He adjusted himself so that he was facing her, then curled an arm under his head to rest on it.

Katara instantly let out a shaky mental sigh of relief.

However, her frayed nerves got another unpleasant shock when he wrapped his other free arm around her back and pulled her flush against him. Ruby squirmed a little to readjust, and Memnar responded by holding her tighter. It was so close that she could feel warm breath brush against her hair.

Ruby stared at the wide chest in front of her and felt him slowly relax against her. The sudden calmness surrounding them nearly made Ruby close her eyes right away to join him in drifting off to sleep, but the incessant need she had to touch him again grew as a nagging itch. Not able to resist it, she pressed her hand over his heart.

The beats slowed against her palm and the warm breath running across the top of her head followed suit. Her cheeks were hot, but once again, it wasn't because of Ruby. The blush was of Katara's own making.

Ruby's calmness was getting to her. Katara couldn't fight the tired daze coming from the spirit no matter how hard she tried to chase it away. It completely sapped her energy and infected her mind with a dizzy haze.

She should be prodding Ruby, trying to get her attention to tell her to leave this room again. She should be as high-strung as she was only minutes ago as Memnar loomed dangerously over her. She should be focused on how wrong this situation was.

She should _not_ be this utterly disarmed by the feeling of Zuko's body wrapped against her.

It was so strange…but he was so warm…

Minutes passed and a sort of intimacy about the way he was holding her emerged, and it had Ruby pressing against him for more of the feeling. Katara's hand stilled against him and her forehead pressed against Zuko as her eyes closed. Sleep came on Ruby's terms and Katara followed her like a quiet shadow.

The last thing that went through her mind were a few estranged thoughts she would not remember.

' _Why is this happening…?'_

' _Wrong…this is wrong…'_

' _This isn't fair…'_

'…'

'… _he's so warm…"_

* * *

Katara stared into the darkness surrounding her. It was so black and never-ending that she wondered why she wasn't afraid. None of it was real – she was coherent enough to understand that. This was definitely a dream she was in, but even so, something as dark and looming as what stretched before her should make her feel at least a little bit nervous.

Was this ignorance or familiarity she was feeling? She couldn't tell right now…

Time passed and soon her slight worry for the darkness faded into nothing. It was just a dream, after all. It was all in her mind. There was no reason to be afraid. Katara didn't often have control of her dreams, so this was a neat experience. However, instead of trying to conjure up things only her imagination could see, she just…let go.

She didn't want to think, or do anything else for that matter. She just wanted to drift with her eyes closed. So, that's exactly what she did.

The peace was only interrupted when something in the distance appeared. Katara almost didn't pay it any mind, not caring to acknowledge it at all, but her eyes opened wide when a chill ran up her back. Panic she couldn't make sense of took over her, slowly, until it had her frozen in fear. She couldn't explain where it came from. It felt like someone opened her up and poured the horrid feeling of fear into her veins.

Katara stumbled back, afraid and stared into the darkness again – at that thing that was staring right back at her.

She somehow knew she wasn't safe there anymore, and the moment she realized that, it headed straight for her.

* * *

Fear jolted Katara awake.

Her heart was pounding wildly, but her position was strangely calm. She felt something creep around in the back of her head, staring at her. Katara panicked, not knowing what it was until she recognized the other being in her mind.

Ruby was staring at the roof, but all of her attention was inward and on Katara as she watched her curiously. She didn't say anything, and instead sent an emotion over. Ruby was concerned for her and didn't understand what just happened. Katara mentally sighed to calm herself.

' _Just a dream,'_ she said, but the words were more for herself than Ruby.

Ruby was skeptical, but satisfied with her answer. She faded away, and Katara let her go without protest this time. She was too mentally exhausted to try to hold onto her. Her eyes wandered to a window covered with raindrops; colored grey against the stale blue light behind.

' _Wait…it's morning already?'_ Katara thought.

The sound of pellets hitting the rooftop above was an unmistakable sign a storm was raging outside. As Ruby watched the water slide down the glass every second or so, a chill soon ran up her spine. She sat up and wrapped her arms around each other as if the cold water were hitting her instead of the roof.

The moment Katara spotted Memnar, she regretted letting Ruby slip away from her.

Instead of lying in front of her, Memnar was back to sitting on the edge of the bed staring off into space. Ruby rubbed her eyes as Katara reeled over the memory of falling asleep next to him the night before. If Ruby were paying attention to her right now, Katara would be giving her the lecture of a lifetime.

Still feeling cold, Ruby crawled across the bed until she was right next to him. His body heat mixed with hers right away and the uncomfortable chill disappeared instantly.

Ruby wrapped an arm around his and leaned against him as if it was the most natural thing to do. Sighing, she closed her eyes and focused on his calming heat. Memnar said nothing and didn't try to get away from her embrace. He did lift his hand to reach for her, but it froze midair.

He quickly looked toward the door as the sound of boots pounded in the hallway. When the footsteps came to a screeching halt, yelling and angered voices erupted.

Suddenly, the door was thrown open with a loud bang. Ruby jumped at the loud noise, and sweet relief filled Katara when she recognized the royal guard. Every one of them were frozen still as they stared in utter disbelief between Memnar and Ruby.

"What the hell," said Shen. He turned to one of the guards and roughly grabbed his collar and shoved him against the wall. The other man's head banged hard against the wood and he reached up to take pressure off the fierce grip.

"Explain this!" Shen yelled.

The guard looked between them and the captain. "I don't know how she got in- I- I don't-" He couldn't finish the sentence and looked at the two on the bed in complete confusion.

Shen growled and threw him to the side. The other guard stumbled until he hit the door.

"Bring them out," said Shen as he stormed out.

The other guards complied immediately and quickly walked straight up to Memnar and Ruby. Katara was beyond happy to see them, but it was short-lived. One of them harshly grabbed her upper arm and forced her up. There was enough pressure to leave a bruise and she was shocked by the man's roughness. As pain ran up her arm, Ruby tried to pull away, but it only made his hand clamp down on her harder.

The moment that happened, Memnar scowled fiercely and the guards reaching for him froze when they saw it.

However, the pause was brief before they grabbed him, forcing him to his feet as well. Both of them were hauled out of the room and through the halls. Ruby's eyes were wide with fear as she tried to pry the hand squeezing her arm, but her weak attempts made no difference.

Memnar, however, was more than capable of matching the strength of the hands holding onto him. They were nearly to the end of a hall when he successfully knocked them away and stopped in his tracks. The guards didn't immediately grab him and, instead, hesitated again.

Like the spirit, Zuko was also perturbed by their behavior, but it wasn't because of their roughness. He was angry they weren't being more forceful with him, he was pissed they left him alone with Ruby last night, and he was livid they didn't lock him up in the first place.

The guards were about to reach for him again, but halted when they heard a voice behind them. "What's going on? Why is the southern ambassador here?"

Zuko recognized the voice of one of his advisors. The others froze too and the man that just walked up looked between Memnar and Ruby, then quickly turned to Shen. He threw his hand up in the air. "You confined them both in the same room?! Together?!"

"No, I didn't," said Shen. "She sneaked in last night. I don't know what the hell happened."

"You don't know?!" he repeated, aghast. "Unacceptable! When others hear about this-"

"No, don't tell anyone."

"If you think I'm going to cover for your screw up, you are mistaken!"

"That's not what it's about."

The advisor opened his mouth to argue with him further, but both turned in the other direction when they heard more footsteps approaching. Shen looked between Memnar and Ruby. "Shit," he muttered.

When the other's approached, they started their typical hum-drum of the day's activities, even though it was no normal day or circumstance. While everyone seemed to be wrapped up in the conversation, Shen tried to stand between Ruby and the group, who had not noticed her yet. He ordered the guards to quietly take her away.

They didn't make it two steps before someone else noticed her. Like before, there was confusion before the group erupted in an argument. During the loudness, a few others started appearing around the corner, no doubt to investigate the heated conversation. Memnar wasn't listening to it at all and instead chose to stare at the wall.

He was a little surprised when his arm was grabbed again being led to a new area. He looked back and saw that they were taking Ruby in the opposite direction. Memnar did not like what was going on from the start, but the moment Ruby was out of sight, his temper flared. He was disgusted by the sight of it and considered breaking it in two if they didn't release him.

Hearing that thought, Zuko was relieved when they quickly bound his hands a second later.

Memnar growled under his breath as he was taken into a room. Once a small group were inside, two guards stood outside of the door before it was slid shut with more force than necessary. While everyone was too busy arguing with each other, Memnar eyed the shattered glass they were walking over.

The room was a mess like every other part of the palace and the glass looked to be from a shattered window close to them. It was covered, but water and cooler air was getting in. When the spirit was halted again, he turned his attention down to the face of a glaring advisor.

The advisor looked at his bound hands then turned angrily to Shen. "Agni, what is wrong with you?! Untie him!"

Shen stared defiantly at him before nodding to the guard next to Memnar. He cut the rope and it fell to the floor.

"Captain Shen, you had better have a damn good explanation for this. Zuko was supposed to be under uninterrupted supervision and solitary confinement. Why was he left alone? And why was the Southern Water Tribe ambassador allowed in with him?!"

"The guards left their post without permission," Shen said bitterly as he turned to another guard standing nearby, the same one among the three that walked out last night. "What happened?"

"I don't know," the other man said as he shook his head, "We were watching him, but then…we walked out. I don't know why! For some reason, we stood outside the door like nothing was wrong. I didn't realize something was off until you came earlier. Captain, I don't know how to explain it, but we did not directly disobey your orders. I swear it."

The others in the room looked unconvinced, but Shen seemed torn before he moved his narrowing eyes to Memnar.

"Unbelievable! You are the Fire Lord's esteemed personal guard. You have no excuse-"

The man continued to rant. Memnar, who was busy glaring at those in front of him, stopped paying attention again, growing more irritated with the sound of their voices.

Zuko continued to listen to the argument going on as they fought pointlessly over whose fault it was. He admitted he was curious about why they walked out, but he was more concerned with what they were planning to do with Memnar. After last night, he would be livid if they didn't decide to lock him up.

Memnar heard that thought and turned his glare inward.

' _What?'_ Zuko spat when he got sick of the staring.

" _They'd be locking you up as well."_

' _That's fine with me.'_

" _Did you not spend all of yesterday complaining about being a prisoner, or do you suddenly desire confinement?"_

He certainly did not, but if it meant a guarantee a repeat of last night would not happen, he was more than willing to sleep in a cell until this was over.

" _Hmph,"_ Memnar scoffed at that thought. _"Why are you so high-strung over the idea?"_

Zuko didn't answer and resorted to glaring instead.

" _Since the moment Ruby stepped through the door last night, you've been in a ridiculous panic. Why?"_

' _Being possessed can do that to people,'_ Zuko said smartly.

Memnar was unconvinced. _"Do not avoid my question. Was it the fact that you found out who I am that sent you cowering?"_

' _No,'_ Zuko said honestly.

" _Then tell me why you were suddenly so desperate to get control back."_

' _No.'_

" _Tell me, or I'll barge in and take it whether you want me to or not."_

Of course Zuko didn't answer, and of course Memnar wasted no time in attempting to break into his mind. Zuko fought back, but a few thoughts managed to slip through. When he realized they had, he pulled back as far as he could from the invader.

Memnar didn't understand what the big deal was _. "This was what you were so panicked over?"_ he asked as he dangled the thoughts he'd taken in front of Zuko.

They were just images – ideas – of what Ruby's touching could have led to if Memnar got swept up in them as Zuko would have in any other circumstance. Embarrassed that thoughts like that, which were only ever his, were now on display to someone he was quickly starting to despise, Zuko kept quiet.

Memnar inspected them one last time before scoffing and letting them fade, not having the faintest interest in their contents. He was more interested in the irritating conversation going on around them, and that was saying something.

"Are you implying mind control?" asked Zuko's advisor. "That's ridiculous!"

Shen countered, "And spirits invading people's minds isn't? All I'm saying is we don't know what they're capable of."

"Well, spirit, Is it true?!"

Memnar didn't answer and kept his eyes closed.

"No! No more silence! I demand an answer!"

"Just give it up. I say we lock all of them up, like I first suggested," said Shen.

Memnar opened his eyes and looked at Shen. "Just try it," he muttered, then turned to the advisor in front of him. "I answer to no one, especially not the likes of you and your kind."

"I don't know who you were in the spirit world, but here you are no more than a barely tolerated guest. You do not get special treatment or considerations. You should give up this rebellious attitude and give us answers we keep asking of you."

Memnar waited a moment, then walked towards the advisor. He was only able to make it three steps before a guard stepped towards him as a warning. The shorter advisor tensed and tried to show he was not intimidated by his looming.

"Answers you seek?" Memnar asked. "What worthwhile questions have you asked thus far that deserve answers?"

The man folded his arms with a condescending look, which made Memnar's fists bind in frustration. He did _not_ like being looked down on like that. "For starters, you can tell us exactly who you are. Then, you could explain why you've been so difficult since the Royal Guard found you on that hilltop."

Memnar shook his head.

"I was erring on the side of treating you and the rest of the spirits as guests here, but you are making it difficult for me to disagree with those that want to lock you all up. I am close to agreeing with them right now."

"What?" Memnar hissed lowly.

"Give me a reason to convince these men not to lock you up in the cells beneath the palace, such as answering our questions, or I will order them to do just that."

Memnar narrowed his eyes further. The threat was obvious, and the spirit was not handling it will at all. His jaw clenched as his eyes moved down to the man's neck. Zuko could feel anger starting to brim over, but instead of snapping, Memnar moved his eyes downward.

In a slow movement, he leaned over. Zuko did not understand what he was doing until his hand gripped a large piece of sharp glass.

' _What are you doing?'_ Zuko asked, shocked.

The guards all tensed and their arms hovered in defensive stances as Memnar straightened. The advisor was wide-eyed as he stared at the glass in his hand. Memnar ignored everyone else and barely ran a finger over a sharp edge, nearly cutting himself in the process.

"I've changed my mind," he seethed dangerously. "You said you wish to know who I am? I will tell you, if you ask again. So…ask."

The advisor's face drained until he was pale, and he never once looked away from Zuko's hands which were a mere arm's reach away from him.

Glass crunched under Shen's boot as he slowly stepped toward Memnar. His hands were up and defensive with one close to a knife on his hip. "Drop it," he warned. When Memnar did nothing but glance at him defiantly, he added, "Now."

The other guards started to follow Shen's lead and Memnar briefly looked around at them. Zuko's mind was still with unease against the building anger coming from the spirit. Considering the state Memnar was in, to say Zuko was shocked when he let the glass slide from his palm to the ground was a massive understatement.

It shattered into a few smaller pieces; the sound of it making the advisor jump and finally take a few uneven steps away from him. The others in the room tensed and took a few uneasy steps back as well with newfound fear on some of their faces.

Memnar eyed the shattered glass, disappointed, then who pairs of hands landed on his shoulders.

* * *

Memnar dug his feet into the ground every chance he could as he was forced down a hallway. He tried to slow down multiple times, but was pushed forward by the two guards next to him with each attempt. The more he resisted, the more the skin on his wrists rubbed raw against the rope bound tightly around them. The spirit was learning just how powerless he was in his current situation and it only set him off more.

' _Just give up already,'_ said Zuko.

Memnar was just a seething pit of anger and he couldn't seem to form the words to argue with Zuko, so instead, he sent the full force of his mood smashing into him. Zuko didn't see it coming, let alone how to block it, and was blown back. Some of Memnar's anger infected his own mood and Zuko unwillingly became more enraged.

' _Ah! You bastard!'_

" _If I were free, I'd make you watch as your hands drained the life out of all of them!"_ he said as he tried, once again, to halt his feet. This time, he was practically shoved forward.

Zuko didn't bother to be surprised by his gruesome statement. _'Just GIVE UP!_ _You're not going to be able to stop them!'_

Memnar's mind was still for a moment before a sudden realization hit him.

" _You're right."_

His admittance completely threw Zuko off and he just stared at the other being, completely confused.

" _As I am right now, I can't take them on,"_ he said as he lowered his head and looked up from the ground, _"But you can."_

Zuko had half a thought formed when Memnar barged in _again_. He moved so fast that Zuko wasn't able to track whatever memory he was clamoring for. With a yell of frustration, Zuko shoved him out, but Memnar had what he came for.

His body tensed and he halted with a solid foot to the ground. The two guards next to him moved to push him forward again, but Memnar ducked. Their hands slid off him briefly and a moment later, he shot up and his head impacted with the guard on his right's chin. The man went flying back, and Memnar grabbed the knife from his hilt then turned and slammed his bound fists into the other guard's face.

The third man, who was walking behind them looked at Memnar in surprise before he sprang into action. Memnar didn't waste a second and cut the rope off his wrists leaving him free to fight back.

Zuko's thoughts finally caught up with what was happening. Shocked, he yelled for Memnar to stop as fists went flying between all four of them, even knowing it was useless.

The three men, who Zuko knew well, were a part of his personal guard. They were all highly trained and were a formidable threat to any foe, and there were few that could stop them. Unfortunately, Zuko was one of those few and he watched with growing dread as Memnar used the skills he learned right alongside them against them. He overpowered two of them just by going off of Zuko's memory alone.

The last guard standing was faster than the other two and managed to grab ahold of the wrist that held the knife. He squeezed and twisted it, forcing Memnar to drop the blade. Memnar fought against the hold and the other man quickly grabbed his own blade at his hip and held it against Zuko's throat.

Both of them froze.

The guard's eyes widened as he looked between the blade and a man he swore to protect. Memnar took advantage of his hesitation, grabbed his wrist, and used his other hand to send a fist towards his face. He punched him as hard as he possibly could. The blow was so hard that it broke the skin of his knuckles (probably his wrist too) and knocked out the guard.

The man fell to the ground with a thud. Memnar looked frantically at either end of the deserted hallway. Basing off of Zuko's memories, he knew he didn't have much time, seconds even, before others would be headed their way.

Memnar started moving and dug into Zuko's mind with every ounce of strength he had. The mental claws crushing against his mind had Zuko doubled over in an attempt to control what Memnar was trying to steal.

Putting together bits of what he was able to take, the spirit used all the routes Zuko knew would be empty to get to the edge of the palace. Once he was outside, the light rain coming from above landed on his flushed skin and sent a cold chill down his spine. Scanning every inch of the area for signs of guards after him, he ran towards a familiar garden.

When Zuko realized what his intentions were, he tried with everything he had to snatch control from Memnar. He tried harder than any other time and put so much strain on his mind that his ears started to ring. He yelled, he cursed, he did everything he could to stop the spirit from spending one more second controlling him.

But he couldn't, not even a little. He was the very definition of a prisoner in his own mind.

Memnar stepped into a small building and followed Zuko's memory up until he was standing in front of some shelves.

He pushed open the hidden door. Stale, grimy air blew passed him and he stepped into the tunnel that led straight to the city. He shut the door behind him and busted the lever, sealing him in there. Memnar turned and started running in complete darkness.

* * *

A/N: I wanted to do something special for you guys since you've all been leaving such great reviews. In case some people skipped the author's note up top, I did a speed paint of one of the scenes for this chapter. For those who are unaware, I have an account over at DeviantArt under the same pen name. Go look for the drawing with the title 'Too Close'.

Let me know if it's how you imagined the scene between Memnar and Ruby.

So, I just wanted to clarify a point that anonymous viewer 'Guest' brought up in a review a while ago. They commented that it took a lot of time for this story to get around to the main plot with the spirits. I completely agree. The truth is, I was getting a little nervous when the word count reached 100k before they made their debut.

If the spirits came at an earlier time in the story, Katara and Zuko would not have had the development that led them to having feelings for each other.

I wanted to establish that Zuko had just fallen in love with her, and Katara was undecided. If I jumped in before they got to that point, the story would have been rather dull since they would have had no interaction between each other. The story would have been more about Memnar and Ruby instead of Zuko and Katara.

I don't like to harass readers too much for reviews (just the fact that you take your time to write one in the first place is awesome!), but I find myself curious about what you guys have to say about this particular subject. Do you agree, disagree, somewhere in between? Let me know your thoughts, if you have the time. I'd love to hear from you.


	18. Prisoner

A/N: Yes! Finals are over! More time to write! :)

Responses:

Thattallbiatch: I don't particularly like slow burns. Funny it's exactly what I'm doing with this fic haha. Zutara action is one the way! TheLastDigidestined: Thank you! I'm going to try to do more speed paints for upcoming chapters. We'll see if it works out. Usurper1218: I was having issues that same day, too. I had this horrible anxiety that it would never come back up haha. Katara will come around…eventually. It's a romance fic after all.

EternalFire1984: Glad you like our two star spirits haha. There's way more to come! nevertalk: Thanks, I aim to please haha. reader01: Exams are a pain! Take your time! Rivierra: More is here! Glad you like Memnar and Ruby! TheSylverBlue: I'll take that as a sign I'm doing okay with the revision. :) waking-up-with-happiness: Thanks for telling me that. I appreciate it.

Marie: Thank you for the review, and I'm relieved you agree with my explanation haha. DK009: Thanks! Hm…let's see…about 3 hours spread out through the week? Maybe less. 25Carin: It was actually on Katara the last time, too. I was originally going to do it through Zuko, but I figured you could guess pretty easily what's going on with him during that entire encounter. I'm in my last year of college, so I don't have as many classes. Then again, I have two jobs… No hobbies for me either. Just scribbling this fic on a notebook during whatever breaks I have, then typing it up later. :)

Stories Rhymes: Thank you for the detailed review about what I asked last chapter. I'm glad you agree and I hope the cut off (spirits arriving) will be worth it in the end! fan fan: The only difference was Memnar getting a little more…touchy than the previous version haha. Thanks! sylah808: *Very dangerous haha Zuko's got his hands full with that one! TinyArtist: I'm happy you agree haha here's the update!

Disclaimer: No own, no sue.

* * *

 _Chapter 18_

 **Prisoner**

…

Aang jumped from Appa's saddle onto the cracked cement below. He adjusted his staff in front of him and stretched his legs, sore from the long hours of traveling. He turned and stared at the large, abandoned structure his thoughts lead him to. Aang guessed the very old temple at the top of the hill was abandoned for generations. Thick vegetation and large trees were breaking through the tattered roof and crumbled walls.

His eyes followed the path behind him as it ended in ragged stairs that lead down the mountain to a decent sized village. The storm was not yet raging here and it was calm in the night. Glittering lights made it seem as though the village was preparing for any other regular night, but Aang knew this was no normal night for the inhabitants down below.

He turned back to the temple, breathed in and out slowly, then headed towards it. He heard a chirp from behind him as Momo jumped up on the side of the saddle, ready to glide to Aang's shoulder. "No, Momo. Stay here," said Aang as he held his hand up. The lemur was reluctant but obeyed and stepped back, never taking his eyes from Aang.

Resuming his pace, he stepped inside and stopped as he passed a mural on the wall. He studied it for a moment, or at least, what he could through the damage and various vines on it. This place was eerily familiar to the empty Air temples scattered across the globe.

Suddenly, rustling sounded further down the hall. He immediately tensed and readied himself with his staff. A moment later, glowing green eyes were floating in a darkened corner.

"Well, if it isn't my friend the Avatar," came the voice of a boy.

Aang narrowed his eyes. "Are you the one that called me here?"

In response, Aang felt the familiar tug in his mind one last time before it finally faded. The green eyes shifted until the boy they belonged to stepped into the light. He was a teenager, small, possibly 14 or 15 years old, and obviously not taking those steps by his own will. Wordless, he walked up to Aang then stopped ten feet away from him.

"Who are you?" Aang asked.

"I'm genuinely shocked you didn't realize who I am the moment I reached out to you. Are you truly so far separated from the spirit world that you can't recognize me even now?"

Taken off guard by his condescending tone, Aang lowered his head slightly in embarrassment, as he had for everyone else who asked him that.

As Aang tried to come up with a response, the spirit stared straight into his eyes. "Hm, uncertainty, shame, and genuine fear. I'd have your face right now if I weren't trapped in this body," said the spirit.

It only took a second to know who that familiar line belonged to. "Koh?"

The boy tilted his head to the side and the corner of his lips lifted, answering his question. Instantly, Aang stripped his face of emotion at the memory of their last meeting.

"You're right to be afraid, but unfortunately for me, you can relax. I am no different from a human right now."

Aang was reluctant, but eventually did calm down as he took into account the situation. Emotion slowly filled his face again, but he was still very wary. This spirit was dangerous.

"I must admit," said Koh, "when I said we'd meet again, I didn't expect it to be like this."

Uneasy, Aang cut straight to the point. "Why did you call me here?"

"To talk."

"About what?"

"About this," he said as he gestured to his glowing green eyes.

"I'm sorry, but I don't have any answers for you. I don't understand how or why this happened myself-"

"You misunderstand," he interrupted, "I didn't call you here seeking anything, but rather, to offer _you_ answers."

Aang's eyes widened, then narrowed in suspicion. "Why?" he asked.

Koh lifted up his hand and bit at his thumbnail for a moment. "What do you know about this breach?"

Noting that he dodged his question, Aang answered him warily, "From what I've been told, spirits have taken over at least half the world, maybe more, invading people's minds. The spirit world is shut away from everyone, even me."

Koh was quiet for a moment. "That's it?"

"Yes…" Aang answered.

Koh walked closer to him, then started pacing around him. "I have information you may find helpful."

"You know why this is happening? How to fix it?"

"The problem will fix itself in a few days' time. As for why, I can't answer that. There's not a being in existence that could tell you why this is happening." He slowed. "That information is something you could have gotten from others besides myself."

"Then what is it you want to talk about?"

"A personal matter to you, I think. It's about those close to you."

"I don't understand."

He stopped pacing and stared up at Aang. "Sokka, Zuko, Katara. Others whom you know."

"How do you know their names?"

"When you chose to listen to my call, you opened up a link between us. I've been hearing some of your thoughts and seen what's happened around you since you set out to find me."

Aang was instantly embarrassed and his cheeks reddened slightly at the disturbing discovery. He cleared his throat. "I see. What did you hear exactly?"

"Enough to know you'll want to know what I have to say," he said flatly.

"Are you still reading my mind? I didn't know spirits could do that."

"No, I'm not. I'd wager as far as abilities go, there are only a handful that came through who are capable of it. I am one of them."

Aang looked between his eyes before adjusting his staff. "Alright, tell me what you have to say."

"I never said this information was free. There is something I want in return."

Aang froze and his grip on the staff tightened. He had a suspicion, in the back of his mind, that Koh was going to want something for the information he had to offer. "I won't be trading my face for answers, if that's what you think."

"Tempting, but no. There is something far more valuable to me that only you can provide right now."

"What is that?"

"The place you came from – where you were before coming here – I want you to take me there."

His eyebrows knit together in confusion. "The Fire Nation capitol? Why would you want that?"

Koh looked away. "It's for me to know."

Aang considered his bargain for a moment until he remembered it wasn't just Koh he was looking at. The boy that body belonged to was still in there. "I can't do that. This body isn't yours; he may have a family down in the village. I can't just take him away from here."

Koh frowned. "I'm not going to beg you. You will regret it if you choose to walk away. It's not a threat, but simply the truth."

Aang looked away in thought. What Koh was offering was something Aang was desperately clamoring for since this whole thing began, but at what price to get it? The debate was clear as day on his face and Koh could see it. "I know how badly you want answers," Koh said quietly.

After those words, it took Aang only a minute to begrudgingly cave in. "Alright, I'll take you, but you need to tell me why you want to go there."

"Hmph, fair enough. There's something at that place that is impossible to get in the spirit world. Something I've been waiting thousands of years for, and I can only get it during this breach."

"What is it?"

"I agreed to 'why' not 'what'."

"That's not good enough. I-"

Koh's tone dropped, "It will be, if you want answers. Like I said, I won't beg you. I can wait a few thousand more years if I have to."

Aang frowned at him then sighed. "Fine."

Koh smiled, satisfied. "Let's not waste any time."

He walked passed Aang in the direction he came from. "Wait! You haven't done your end of the bargain!"

Koh slowed and looked at him over his shoulder. "I'll tell you everything I can along the way. We leave now, or not at all."

Reluctant, Aang followed him outside. He led him to Appa, then lifted him up into the saddle. Momo jumped back at the sight of the new, strange face, while sniffing at him curiously while Koh eyed the animal with slight disgust. When Aang turned toward the village below, he swallowed and hesitated. Looking again and the younger boy Koh had control of, his chest grew tighter. _'I'm sorry,'_ he thought.

"We won't be there long. I'll be taking you back as soon as I can."

"Fair enough."

Aang handed him a blanket from one of the saddlebags. "Take this, it gets cold up there."

Koh did and after inspecting it, he wrapped it around his shoulders. As if it were an invitation, Momo jumped in his lap and curled up. Koh frowned and leaned back slightly, but didn't make a move to push him off. It was an odd sight to see, especially since he knew what kind of strange-looking spirit was in control past that face.

Aang quickly took his spot on Appa's neck and they were skyward within seconds.

Once they were high enough, Aang turned back to Koh. "You said spirits will only be here for a few days?"

"Yes, nine to be exact."

"I've asked other spirits that question, but most of them didn't know. How is it that you do?"

"This is not the first time I've been here."

The scholar was right. Aang couldn't decide if the news made him feel any better. Koh continued, "This breach of worlds has happened a number of times for a very, very long time."

"How many times, exactly?"

"This would be the seventh."

Aang shook his head. "Why doesn't anyone know about this? It's too big of an event in history to just be…unknown."

"I think you're underestimating just how much time I was referring to since this first started. The last time was nearly a millennia before the avatar cycle began. It was a time when foolish monks, not the avatar, who were the mortal world's most powerful spiritualists."

"Why are you calling them foolish?"

"Because they were among the few that have ever been able to find a way into the spirit world during a breach. I will say this right now, Avatar, as I can already see it on your face – don't bother trying to get in. The monks I speak of were killed instantly when they tried."

It was his intention to try. He could hear the warning in Koh's voice, but he didn't exactly consider the spirit in front of him trustworthy.

"How do you know they died?"

"I make it my business to know. That, and I have been through all seven times." He adjusted his blanket when they hit a gust of cold air. "There's always a couple who try it, and it ends the same with all of them."

"If we can't get into the spirit world, is there another way to fix it before the nine days?"

"If there is, and you discover it, you would be the first." When Koh saw the spark of determination in Aang's eyes, he added, "However, realize that the oldest spirits among us, in all their knowledge and power, could not change this."

Aang looked away, refusing to let the words get to him. He thought of Katara.

' _There's a way. There's always a way…'_

"Where we are going," he said, "there are people there that talked about something I've never heard of in the spirit world."

"What would that be?"

"The River of Time."

Koh hesitated for the first time and lowered his head slightly.

"Is it real?" asked Aang.

"…it is."

"What is it exactly?"

"Hm, how to describe something that you yourself don't understand," he said to himself before turning his attention back to Aang, "The simplest answer is that it is all of time. Everything that has ever happened, and everything that will happen flows through that river."

Aang nodded as the faces of Zuko and Katara passed in front of his eyes. "And the guardians of the river, are they real too?"

"Very much so."

"There are two spirits here that claim to be guardians. I've met Ruby and maybe one other."

"The other you are referring to is known as 'Memnar' in your language."

"How do you know it's him?"

Koh looked away from him, staring across the dark, moonlit clouds. "Every spirit in the world knows those two came through."

"Are they part of the older spirits you were talking about?"

"Not quite. It would be wrong to compare them to me or other spirits."

"Then what are they?"

"Something abnormal from the rest of the spirit world. 'Gods among spirits' sounds like the right answer."

"I didn't know beings like that existed," said Aang, confused.

"There are others besides the guardians. They're few, but they're real." Koh lifted his hand up in thought. "They live in places in the spirit world that are unreachable to even me."

"Are they dangerous?

"They are unpredictable. Some of the five come through on occasion, and they tend to cause at least a minimal bit of chaos when they do. However, this time may be a bit more hectic than the others."

"What do you mean?"

"All spirits are dangerous in their own way. But, by far, Memnar is the most dangerous of them." His voice lowered, "It would be wise to stay away from him."

"The most dangerous…" Aang trailed off as he thought of Zuko. "Who is he exactly?"

"A being whose hate has consumed him. He's dismal, brutal, and terrifying. He's killed very powerful spirits in the past. There are very few who claim to not fear him."

"If he's such a danger, why don't the other four stop him?"

"Good and evil don't have the same significance in the spirit world as they do here. Besides, the others couldn't kill him even if they wanted to. They are all immortal."

Aang turned away for a moment and reeled over everything Koh was saying. He was the Avatar, the world's foremost expert of the spirit world, and yet there were things lurking there he never imagined existed. He wanted to not believe what Koh was telling him, but there was no logical argument that would let him, and he'd be damned if he let denial set in right now. If it did, Aang was sure he'd lose his mind in the wake of all this.

Spiritual deities? It was a ridiculous idea, and grim at the same time. To think that two of them were in control of the woman he loved and his best friend made him sick, especially the thought of the latter.

"What's Memnar capable of here?"

"I don't know," Koh said as he leaned back against the saddle. "He's never been through until now. At least Ruby came with him. I'd hate to see what he'd do if she weren't here to act as his leash."

"Is Ruby like him?"

"She couldn't be more different than Memnar. She represents an idea you'd never come close to understanding, but if I had to pin a term to her as I did with Memnar, it would be 'purity'. They are opposites, in every sense of the word."

"You don't seem as concerned about her."

"Ruby is unpredictable, but I'd say the only person she is a real threat to is the one she's possessed."

"What do you mean?" he asked with trepidation.

"I saw she has possessed the one you love. 'Katara' was her name? How unfortunate."

"She'll return to normal when this is over," Aang said quickly.

"You're wrong, Avatar."

Aang looked at him with widened eyes.

"Ruby is different than the others. Like me, she has come through all seven times." Koh fell silent and stared at Aang as though trying hard to capture the emotion on his face. "And all previous times, her hosts have met an unfortunate fate."

Aang thought about this in the back of his head here and there; what it might do to people possessed. Others have whispered the idea, but it was a subject no one really wanted to broach. "A broken mind," he said with a strained voice.

"No, much worse. Of all the times she's been through, none have survived the encounter."

"I don't believe you. I…met Ruby. I don't think she'd kill Katara."

Aang looked at him in horror and shock, desperately wishing Koh would tell him that it was just a joke. The word _kill_ rang painfully through his head.

"She doesn't take their lives on purpose. It truly says just how unique she is compared to the others. There is something about Ruby that humans cannot handle. The moment she leaves their bodies is the moment their hearts stop."

* * *

Panic was spreading through the palace.

The Royal Guard failed in their most important task – keeping the Fire Lord safe. Memnar was somehow able to beat and escape his guard detail and the most important man in the Fire Nation was now missing. Every able-bodied person was scouring every inch of the palace to find him.

While Katara's attention was completely on the scurrying bodies and muffled yells from people a few stories beneath them, Ruby was content with staring at the fog-covered city in the distance. Her body's calm demeanor completely betrayed the extreme worry Katara was feeling. Zuko was _missing_ , and it was anyone's guess what kind of danger Memnar could walk him into.

Completely opposite of Katara was Ruby and her typical calm self. She didn't seem the least bit concerned that her lover just disappeared into thin air.

A fist slammed into a wall from across the room she was being held in. "Ugh! I can't stand this! We should be out looking for the Fire Lord, not stuck in here babysitting!" said a very perturbed guard.

Ruby's attention immediately snapped to the two men behind her.

"I agree, but we have our orders," said the other through gritted teeth, "we stay here until we're told otherwise."

Ruby stepped a little closer to the window with unease, and Katara completely understood why. Ruby reached up and rubbed at her upper arm before lifting up her sleeve to inspect it fully. A fresh red bruise was starting to form where one of the two men behind her grabbed her earlier.

Katara's opinion of Shen and his men dropped since then. Ruby had done nothing to make herself a threat to them, and to be treated so roughly anyway was uncalled for. Even if they didn't like the fact that it was a spirit in control of her, they had to have known Katara was still in there, and it was her body they were bruising.

Ruby touched the sore area lightly and pulled her hand back the moment she felt a small sting.

' _They shouldn't have done that,'_ said Katara. She spoke as an afterthought, and was surprised to find Ruby listening.

" _What do you mean?"_

' _They shouldn't have hurt you – er, us.'_

" _Why did they do it?"_

' _They don't trust you. I think they're afraid of you.'_

Ruby sighed as a melancholy feeling came over them both. She resumed her watch of the rainy city in the distance. _"They're always so afraid…"_

' _They?'_

" _Humans…"_

Katara was quiet for a long moment, contemplating the question she suddenly wanted to ask the spirit. It was one she brought up before that Ruby dodged every time.

' _Ruby?'_ The spirit refocused her attention on Katara. _'You've been here before, haven't you?'_

Ruby hesitated before she answered, _"Yes…"_

' _Why didn't you just tell me that all the other times I asked_ _?'_ she said with an accusing tone.

" _I'm sorry. I don't remember much about being here the other times. Most of it's very hazy."_

' _Oh,'_ she said, encouraging her to go on.

" _I remember most about the last time I came. I was traveling. I can't remember why, but we never made it to where we were going."_

' _Where were you headed?'_

" _To La."_

' _La?'_ Katara asked curiously before she realized what Ruby was referring to. _'You mean the ocean?'_

" _Yes, I was close to it."_

' _What happened?'_

" _I went back to the spirit world."_ She reached out and touched the glass window. _"I wish I could have seen it."_

Katara's thoughts drifted for a moment and a picture of her home came to mind. It was a beautiful sunrise on the Southern Ocean surrounded by ice and breathtaking icebergs. It was a fleeting response her mind had the moment she thought of the ocean. It would have been there for a mere moment before it faded to the back of her mind, but Katara forgot she had a spectator to her thoughts.

Ruby instantly grabbed hold of the picture and was pulled in by it. Suddenly, the expanse changed from a beautiful empty horizon to another image of herself standing there. She was dressed in blue and her hair swayed lightly in the freezing breeze. Though it looked like her, Katara knew that it was Ruby standing there with widened eyes; completely in awe at what she was seeing.

Of course, once she realized what happened, Katara's first instinct was to pull back to get away from Ruby's intrusion, but she remained still. The longer she watched Ruby see the ocean for the first time, the more she felt it would be wrong to take the memory away.

Ruby's overwhelming calmness was hitting Katara tenfold right now. She decided not to resist it this time and turned to stare at the oceanic horizon. She had a feeling she shouldn't be giving in to it, but being able to stare at such a vivid image of her home with the feeling that everything was going to be okay was…impossible to fight.

Katara lost track of time the longer they stood there. It could have been hours, but eventually, the scene before them drifted away and they were both brought back to the room they were in, staring through the rainy window.

The ordeal made Katara miss her home with an aching heart. She tried to remember it again, but was surprised to see it changed with Ruby's presence in it. It was as though Ruby was always the one standing there. With her current tranquil mood, Katara could decide whether to be upset about it or not.

" _It's beautiful,"_ said Ruby.

The emotion in her voice took her aback for a moment. Katara looked out towards the foggy distance. _'You can see it from here, usually. All you can see are clouds and fog right now, but the ocean is just down the mountain.'_

Ruby tried to imagine it, but the only image she had was the one Katara just showed her. It was that moment Katara realized how close Ruby was to her. Her consciousness was usually distant from her own, but Ruby was near enough that she could have been standing right next to Katara like two close friends enjoying each other's company.

Like before, Katara let the calmness of the moment envelope her. She'd like to blame that feeling on the next thought she had, but knew it was probably a lie if she did. The truth was, as much as she hated every moment of this invasion so far, she found herself wanting to know more about Ruby.

' _Why don't you talk to me more?'_ asked Katara. _'You're always so far away.'_

Suddenly, Ruby tensed and swallowed. If she could see her eyes right now, they'd be looking at Katara in apprehension. Katara gasped as an extreme feeling of heartache took over, strong enough that it would have brought her to her knees if she were in control. Not giving an answer, Ruby started to fade away.

' _Wait!'_ Katara yelled at the retreating spirit.

She hesitated for only a moment before disappearing, leaving Katara alone once again. Ruby reached out and toyed with the window in front of her to distract herself from Katara, but instead of peacefulness, it was sadness that she felt.

Ruby closed her eyes and listened to the sound of the rain for a long time, but the sound of people approaching brought her out of her daze. She slowly turned to face the guards that walked up to her. Instantly, the situation dawned on both of them again. Guards running in a panic around the palace. Zuko missing.

Ruby briefly glanced at Shen's hands as she remembered the pain on her arm. She backed away from him slightly. He didn't bother with any sort of greeting, looked at her with a hard stare, and asked, "Do you know where Zuko is?"

She blinked at him, confused.

"I mean, ah shit what was his name," she said as he closed his eyes tightly for a moment. "Memnar. Do you know where he is?"

"How do you know that's its name?" asked Toran, who stood behind him.

Shen ignored him and stared intently into her eyes. Once again, Ruby didn't answer as she contemplated his question.

"No one told you where we were keeping him last night, but you still found him. How did you know where he was?"

"I just did," she said.

A few of the palace guards ran into the room behind them. Shen reluctantly looked back at them.

"Captain, we went to the area you told us to. There was a hidden door there like you said there would be, but it's sealed. It won't open."

"The city? That's where he's going?" said Toran, lowly. "If it won't open, that means he busted the lever."

The other continued, "My men are trying to open it right now, but it won't budge. Is there another way to get into whatever that door is behind?"

Shen shook his head. "No, tell them to stop. If it won't open that means he's sealed it from the inside. There's over two tons of pressure holding it down. There's no way we can move it in time."

"At least we know where he's headed, but it doesn't help us at this point. By the time we get to the other end, he'll be well into the city by then."

"Then we scour the city. Whatever it takes," muttered Shen. Despite the answer they now had, he didn't move a muscle. Toran looked between him and the door, frustrated.

"Then let's leave! Why are we wasting more time here?!"

"The city is in chaos right now. He's going to be running and hiding. We don't have the manpower to sweep the city fast enough, and the longer he's out the more danger he's in."

"My point exactly! Let's go!"

Shen turned to Ruby. "Do you know where he is? Can you find him like you did last night?"

The other guards finally went still when they realized why Shen came there in the first place. They all looked to Ruby in silence as she tilted her head slightly. She turned back to the rain-covered window, and slowly lifted her hand.

"There," she said as she lightly touched the chilled surface.

It suddenly made sense to Katara why Ruby had been staring out towards the city since she was brought into that room. She'd somehow been watching Memnar.

"You can see him?" asked Shen.

"Not exactly." Ruby shook her head, and her finger moved ever so slightly on the glass. She spoke under her breath, "I wonder where he's going…"

"No," said Toran, "I know what you're thinking, Shen. This is a bad idea, especially after what happened last night."

"What other choice do we have?" he hissed as he messed with something on his belt.

"To go _without_ her."

"Are you going to disobey a direct order?"

Toran hesitated. "Zuko asked me to keep her safe. Maybe this spirit can help us, but if we take her down with us and something happens-"

"We're running out of time and I'm not going to debate this with you," Shen said as he looked at Ruby with distrusting eyes. "She's coming with us."

* * *

Zuko's foot landed in a puddle of water. It was deeper than Memnar expected and he stumbled forward. He cursed under his breath, but kept moving. It was a mere sprinkle right now, but dark clouds above threatened to continue their rainy onslaught. Even with the light rain, Memnar was drenched from head to toe. Stepping in the puddle only made it worse as his shoe was now filled with muddy water.

He was in the middle of the city, walking down a narrow road. It was decorated from the festival that was supposed to happen all week, but there were clear signs of chaos. The two mixed together were unnatural and would give anyone an ominous feeling at the sight.

Memnar walked past a couple of people passing him in the street. They casually glanced at him, as people normally did when passing each other, but almost instantly they froze. They halted, their eyes widened, and their mouths dropped as they stared in shock and awe as Memnar passed them without a second glance. They obviously recognized him.

Their Fire Lord, the most prestigious man in the Fire Nation, just casually passed them on a commoner's street. Zuko was positive he would have gotten away with walking around undetected, but with the clearly noble clothes he was wearing, and a world-famous face like his, it was impossible.

He lost count how many people he passed that had that reaction. He was relieved at first, hoping that word may get to some soldiers and they'd quickly come for him. However, no matter how many people he passed, _all_ of them were too stunned to do anything but stare.

Zuko continued his desperate search for a soldier, guard, _anyone_ that could drag Memnar back to the palace.

Memnar could hear Zuko's wish to be caught. He hovered closer to Zuko, threatening to attack him again the same way he tried last night, but Zuko was ready and waiting with his wall between them. The spirit backed off with a hiss and went back to streaming rage and jumbled emotion through his mind.

The sound of heavy footsteps grabbed Zuko's attention instantly. Memnar was wary of it and looked up to see soldiers start to turn the corner. He jumped into an alley and pressed his back against the wall. They got closer and passed without a glance in his direction. Zuko inwardly sighed in frustration.

Memnar scowled and looked at the ground. He didn't care to hide most of his thoughts from Zuko right now, who could hear an understand almost every thought he had.

Memnar lifted his arms and turned his palms up. He stared at his hands and the bruises on his wrists. He didn't think he could hate this world more than he already did. He, who always had answers, knew nothing here. Mere humans thought they could control and _confine_ him. Him, a spirit everyone and everything should fear.

Memnar was humiliated by the entire situation, but as sour as he was, Zuko didn't rub it in. He didn't feel bad for him one bit, but Zuko knew the feeling of losing both his power and his pride. He came to peace with it long ago, but experiencing it again through Memnar dredged up old memories he thought he'd forgotten.

" _Don't think to compare yourself to me, fool."_

' _I'm not.'_ Zuko said sourly as he jumped back from the spirit _._

He dropped his hands and stared at the backs of the soldiers disappearing into the distance _. "Your face is making this difficult."_

' _Good. The sooner we're found the better.'_

Memnar let that comment roll past him as he continued his street monitoring, searching for a clear opening _. 'Where do you planning on going, anyway? There's nowhere you can run to where you won't eventually be found.'_

" _Anywhere away from here is good enough for me."_

Since escaping, he'd tried to bait Memnar into making some sort of mistake as they wound their way through the streets, but he proved to be immune to it. Aside from getting angrier every time Zuko tried, he remained mostly composed. However, that didn't stop Zuko from trying again.

' _Why are you trying to leave without Ruby? She's still stuck in the palace.'_

" _I'm not stupid."_ Memnar rolled his eyes. _"You want me to head back to get her and take her with me assuming I'll get caught in the attempt. I can hear your thoughts you fool, remember?"_

Embarrassed by forgetting that fact, Zuko sunk back. He had no intention of dragging Katara into this and was grateful Memnar didn't go after her to take her with him in the first place. Zuko assumed he'd do as much, considering, well, what they were. Though, since escaping, Ruby barely passed through his thoughts at all.

" _And why is it so important that she come with me?"_

' _I just assumed-'_

" _That's your problem right there,"_ he interrupted, _"You 'assume' even though I've already told you multiple times spirits are nothing like humans. Companionship for your type is a joke. You latch onto another human and follow them around like lost mutts. It's pathetic."_

' _You say I'm the clueless one, but you don't know the first thing about this world,'_ Zuko said bitterly _._ He knew it wasn't going to get him anywhere to provoke the spirit, but he couldn't keep his next words to himself. _'If you think it's so disgusting, then why do you let Ruby treat you like that?'_

Memnar stared at him blankly. Zuko continued, _'She's followed you around since the start, and you haven't done a thing to stop her.'_

In his silence, Zuko knew he had him at a loss for words. All in a moment, Zuko won the ongoing argument, turning this arrogant spirit into a hypocrite. With another piece of his pride chipped away, Memnar mentally shoved Zuko and went back to simmering.

He tried hard to ignore Zuko's presence and immediately went back to scouting the street. A sign hanging above a door caught his attention and after reading it and learning what it meant through Zuko's unwilling help, he looked down at his drenched clothes. Memnar stepped out from the alleyway and walked straight up to the closed door and tried to open it.

It was locked and wouldn't budge, but that only made him try harder to pry the thing open. There was rustling on the other side before a man's muffled voice spoke, "Go away! I've had enough of looters trying to get into my shop!"

The man on the other side opened an eye slit. He had a fierce glare ready, but it disappeared in recognition almost instantly as Memnar stared back with just as much malice. The man watched him for a moment, speechless, before he slid the opening shut. A moment later, the door slid open to reveal the short, plump man with a metal bar in his hands.

His eyes widened and his mouth dropped in shock. The shopkeeper fell to the ground in a bow a second later, mumbling things that Memnar could not hear. He didn't think twice about it and stepped over him and looked around the clothing shop. He couldn't find what he was hoping to see, so he turned to the man on the ground with a raised eyebrow.

"Go get me something to wear. Something dark, inconspicuous, and waterproof," he said as he flicked some water from his hand.

The man stood up, looked him over once then turned and hurried to the back of the shop. The moment he disappeared, Memnar panicked slightly and intended to follow him to make sure he was not going to turn him in. However, as he walked back, two young teenagers turned the corner and looked up at him. Both had glowing eyes.

One of them shrieked and fell back to the floor. The other quickly stumbled backward until her back hit the wall. Memnar resisted the urge to roll his eyes again. The response he always got from other spirits was starting to really annoy him.

The shopkeeper reappeared from around the corner. After briefly glancing at his daughters, he reached out and handed Memnar the clothes. As soon as he took them, the shopkeeper helped the girl on the floor to her feet.

Memnar inspected the clothes and Zuko blanched at when he did next. With no shame at all, he stripped down ridding himself of the wet clothes. The cold air sent goosebumps up his back as he pulled off more clothing until there was nothing left. There he stood, buck naked right front of the man and his daughters.

' _I can't believe you right now,'_ he said with extreme embarrassment.

Memnar didn't seem to hear him, or just didn't care. Once he was dressed again, he inspected himself. Deciding he was satisfied with his dark grey attire, he looked back up to the family before him. The man was red-faced from Zuko's stark nudity a moment ago, but looked at him expectantly, as though waiting for another command.

" _You are royalty among these mortals, are you not?_ _Do they all treat you like this?"_ he asked Zuko as he contemplated the fact that the man followed his orders with no hesitation at all.

'Most of the time' was what passed through his thoughts. He didn't intend for Memnar to hear it, but he wasn't trying hard enough to keep it secret.

"Hm," he said in contemplation.

Memnar was out of the shop without another glance at the shopkeeper, pulling a hood over his face and covering the bottom half with black cloth. The more he covered up, the more Zuko's hope was diminishing. This was typical attire for this kind of weather. No one would think twice about him dressed the way he was. It was Memnar's ticket to move freely through the city.

Whatever hesitation he had before disappeared the moment the invading spirit heard his last thought. He stood still as a few people passed him testing to see if what Zuko thought was the truth. The people barely paid him any attention at all.

Memnar set out and didn't look back. He wandered the streets without a clue where he was heading. It seemed just the idea of moving further away from the palace with every step was what satisfied him. Memnar was even arrogant enough to pass by a small group of soldiers at one point, most likely to rub it into Zuko's face.

As he wandered the streets for hours on end, Zuko didn't say a word. His confidence lied in the fact that he thought Memnar would have been found and captured by now. It slipped away, and the weight of his situation was really starting to bear down on him.

Others kept the spirit in check until now. He could exhaust himself again trying to get control back, but if anything, a night spent with his hands on Katara forced the realization on him that he was a mere prisoner. Memnar was going to do what he wanted, regardless of what Zuko had to say.

" _It's about time you admitted that,"_ Memnar hissed in the back of Zuko's mind.

' _Shut up. Leave me alone,_ ' Zuko said angrily.

Memnar did and continued his silent trek to the edge of the city. The rain picked up again and the downpour was relentless. What few were out wandering the cluttered streets sought shelter, leaving them barren on a usually busy night. Soon after the weather started to rage, the light from the sun disappeared until street lights were all that illuminated his path.

When he lost his long-distance sight to the darkness, Memnar started to pester Zuko for a way out of this maze of a city. He was met with curses and derogatoriness for answers, and any lies he crafted to get Memnar to walk into a military area were easily seen through.

At one point, Memnar decided to brave a main road and got off his path of smaller alleys. His long walk finally ended when the road suddenly curved, the straight path blocked by a massive structure. He narrowed his eyes and walked up to it, reaching out to put his palm on the cool, wet stone. It was a sixty-foot-tall wall, and extended as far as the night would let him see in either direction.

Zuko made sure to let him know that it encompassed the entire city, and any areas to the outside were heavily guarded.

' _Try to go through one of the gates,'_ Zuko dared. ' _If you think you can.'_

" _And where will your arrogance be if I make it past them?"_

' _You won't.'_

Memnar frowned and started following the wall.

He hadn't walked very far before he heard the faint sound of voices nearby. Memnar froze and honed his attention on his surroundings, paranoid of the idea of guards walking into his path. Though, all he could hear was the sound of rain hitting the stone path and building rooves. He turned and looked around him, seeing nothing at first, but a faint glint off of a metal object caught his attention.

Memnar focused his eyes on it and realized it was a blade attached to the back of a man turned away from him. There were others standing around him, each of them had dark clothes and most of them covered faces.

Memnar was far enough away that they didn't notice him, but if one were to turn in his direction he'd been seen easily. The spirit, of course, thought nothing of it and intended to turn and keep walking, but Zuko was able to stop him for the first time.

One of the men closest to him had an armband around his bicep. Though he couldn't see the sigil completely, Zuko recognized it instantly. That same man started to turn in Zuko's direction and he yelled to Memnar as loud as he could.

' _GET DOWN!'_

An immediate adrenaline rush and alarm overtook Memnar and he found himself listening to his order before he had the chance to question it. He ducked behind some crates in the road and stared forward as his heart pounded furiously.

When he realized what happened, Memnar growled. He intended to stand up, but again Zuko spoke quickly _. 'Wait! Don't move. They'll see you.'_

" _Your point?"_ he spat.

' _Those men will probably kill you if they see you.'_

Memnar was a breath away from telling him to screw off, but he sensed no lie in what Zuko was telling him. Realizing this wasn't just another ploy to get him caught, Memnar hesitated. He turned and looked through the crates at the group again.

" _Who are they?"_

Zuko had to actively suppress his rebellious attitude. Considering the situation, the more Memnar knew the better. It still didn't make it easy though _. 'Criminals. They're dangerous.'_

" _They don't look any more terrifying than your guard dogs."_

' _Unlike them, these guys won't hesitate to kill you. You're outnumbered and getting as far from here as possible should be the only thing you're worried about.'_

Memnar was about to immediately disagree with him out of habit, but he held his tongue. Dying wasn't a concept Memnar fully understood, but confinement was. The group away from him _did_ look formidable and he didn't have the patience to deal with more of what he had since waking up.

Silently, he begrudgingly agreed with Zuko. However, before he could move, something caught his attention in the group.

One of the men reached out and gave one of them something from his pocket. The other man didn't bother to inspect it and quickly hid it. The one that received it bowed to the other and without another word, the group disbanded with half heading in a different direction from the other.

" _Scum,"_ muttered Memner. His eyes were on the group, but Zuko knew he was referring to the entire human race.

The sound of heavy boots now caught his attention. They were much closer than the group was and Memnar ducked a little lower as two men came to a halt right next to the crate. Like Memnar, they silently watch the disappearing groups. Once deemed safe, one of them spoke.

"This bites. I didn't work my ass off just to be Ki Leng's bitch," said the young man as he kicked some boards to the ground.

"This again? Let it go already."

"Get me a promotion and I'll stop."

"I'm going to kill you if you say that again. Every new recruit starts as a bodyguard, that's just the way it is."

"If that's the case, then why are you still here? You should be top class with how long you've been here."

"I'm here because I choose to be," said the other man as he muttered, "Someone has to keep you whelps in line."

"Yeah keep telling yourself that."

"Oh? Why do you think you deserve special treatment?"

"It's obvious. After what I did to get in, I should be the one making these deals," the younger man folded his arms, "No recruit has ever done as good as I have."

"You're an idiot. You killed six people and pinned the blame on some kid. If you ask me, and if you ask Ki Leng, that's the cowards way out."

Time froze for a moment as those words rang through Zuko's head. There was some sort of familiarity to them, but Zuko could not understand why. This gang was the biggest and most dangerous in the city and killing people for initiation was their MO, but there was something different about this situation.

Six people murdered…gang initiation…

A boy…?

Suddenly, the image of he and Katara holding small candles came to mind. She grasped the candle he handed to her and held it just below her chest, like the many mourning people below them. Her sweet smile and beautiful eyes looked up at him as the image faded.

A knot full of shock, rage, and sadness filled in Zuko's throat. The boy that was put to death earlier that month – the one that killed six people for a gang initiation…was innocent. Zuko was the one that made the final decision and he put an innocent boy to death. Despite the circumstance, his attention was immediately lost on what was going on around him.

Memnar monitored Zuko's flipped demeanor, but kept his attention on the two behind the crates. If Zuko had the mind to admit it right now, it was Memnar keeping them out of trouble all on his own.

"Then why would he let me in if he weren't impressed?"

"I don't know, maybe it was that pretty face of yours."

The other hesitated a moment. "Go to hell."

"Don't you ever wonder why Ki Leng never has a woman around him?"

"Okay enough." He tried to hide it, but the desperation slipped through. The other man laughed.

' _We need to get out of here,'_ said Zuko, lowly. Memnar looked to him in confusion, but it quickly turned to disgust at his suddenly pathetic state of mind.

"Tch," Memnar hissed audibly, unimpressed with whatever Zuko was sulking about.

The two men on the other side continued with their conversation as Memnar started to slowly move away from them. He moved quietly and carefully until he came to the edge of his hiding spot. He looked across the street and saw a small alleyway. He moved towards it and looked back one last time to make sure he was still undetected.

However, the two men were gone from their spot behind the crates. Memnar froze then quickly stood up and searched the area with strained ears. Zuko finally turned his attention to the situation, but by then it was too late.

There was a small sound of something splashing into a puddle right behind him. It was different from the rain hitting the ground. Memnar quickly turned around only to see a sheathed blade materialize before it hit him hard on the side of the head. It was a blow Zuko could have dodged had he been in control.

White filled his vision and he stumbled backward and fell into a pile of wood. His hood flew back and the chilled raindrops attacked his face. Some of the debris came crashing down on top of him and its weight pinned his lower body. Zuko tried to speak to Memnar, but his mind was just as foggy from the blow as the spirit's.

One of two he was watching earlier stood over him as Memnar tried and failed to lift his head. He pulled the blade from its sheath and aimed the tip at his throat. "You chose the wrong group to be spying on tonight, pal."

The other man lit his fists up with flames directly behind the other and the light of the fire stung his eyes and made his ears start to ring. With one last attempt to move his head, Memnar let it drop backward, unable to fight off the vertigo any longer.

The blade raised in the air.

"Wait!" said the other as he extinguished one of his hands. He quickly grabbed the other's arm to stop him from slashing Zuko's throat.

"What are you doing? Let go!" the other yelled as he tore his arm away from the other.

The other walked up to Zuko and reached out. He grabbed hold of the cloth covering his face and pulled it down. He raised the other flame close to his face, nearly extinguished from the rain coming down. What followed was a long, drawn out silence.

"Agni…is that…?" the voice trailed off. Zuko wasn't sure if he meant to or if it was the blackness that overtook his vision. His eyes closed and the last thing he heard was the sound of pouring rain.

* * *

A/N: No interaction between Zuko and Katara (Memnar and Ruby) makes for a sad chapter, but hang tight. I plan to have the next 2 or 3 chapter out in the next three days. There's not much to edit!


	19. Benighted

A/N: Okay, so, a few thoughts on this chapter. For the life of me, and for reasons I can't understand, this has been the hardest chapter I have ever written. (I have multiple accounts scattered across fanfiction I've abandoned for…reasons) I've spent such an embarrassing amount of time on this it's a joke. It's been scrapped 4 times and revised 7. God, what a freaking piece of work.

I'm so bitter about it…but I managed to find the tone I was slaving for. I hope it rises up to the standards.

This chapter may be a little hard to follow, I'll admit. It's packed full of OC dialogue, but I tried to trim it down so that you only have to read the bare minimum to understand what's going on. It's not pointless though, as what happens here will play a heavy role in what's going to happen to Zuko and Katara.

Responses:

smileyluvstwilight: Koh is a sneaky one, and up to no good he is haha. I'm not entirely sure how many chapters it's going to be, but right now it looks like between 40-50. Minor things keep changing and either I keep adding details or take them away. All the details about the spirits and why they do what they do are coming up soon! The suspense for the story is going to start breaking down soon as the answers start coming through. :)

VengefulGeyzer: Thank you! It definitely has been crazy so far, and it's only going to get worse haha. sylah808: I got 3 more chapters coming this weekend for you! DK009: Yeah, it's taken long enough, hasn't it? It didn't expect the revision to take so long honestly. Rivierra: Eventually, yes. But I didn't set the genre of this fic to suspense for no reason. Please don't hate me… Anonymousreader: Update is here! :)

TheLastDigidestined: Yeah, Memnar doesn't care for modesty. He's not going to care for it in future chapters either… nevertalk: Is it too cheesy? I'm hoping the details coming in future chapters will make it less so. 25Carin: Coffee, a cat, and writing is how I manage lol. I wish my life weren't so crazy. Hopefully, it get's better after my last spring semester. I'm super jealous you're already done…

Disclaimer: No own, no sue.

* * *

 _Chapter 19_

 **Benighted**

…

A hand clamped down on Zuko's arm roughly, bringing him to an instant halt. Even though he was still, it didn't seem to appease the man grabbing onto him as the stranger dug his nails into his skin. The pain of it made Memnar bite down on his lip and grit his teeth. In defiance, he jolted his shoulder forward and the hand slipped away. Unexpectedly, it did not return, but the presence of his captor was still plain as day as he felt body heat to the side of him and heard obnoxious mouth-breathing.

His hands were securely tied behind his back again and a black cloth that reeked of pipe smoke covered his head. Memnar woke long before Zuko did in this situation, but he didn't need the spirit to explain to him what was going on or why his head ached as he was being forcefully dragged from the wet streets into the dark interior of a building.

Huo Mar, the dangerous, murderous gang they just _had_ to stumble upon.

Zuko was barely conscious and he couldn't decide what he hated more right now; the white-hot needles sticking into his head from the blow he took, his imprisonment, or the impatient spirit trying to reach into his mind.

For the third time, Memnar attempted to break into Zuko's thoughts, searching for a way to escape. Despite his dizziness, Zuko fought him at every try. He couldn't see, he couldn't move freely, and, most of all, he didn't know what was going on. If he gave Memnar what he wanted, he risked getting himself killed simply because the spirit didn't like the fact that he was tied up again.

' _Stop! I can't think when you're bombarding me like that!'_ demanded Zuko.

Memnar backed off briefly, but had no words for him, only an extreme feeling of impatience and distaste.

Both turned their attention when the sound of boots approached. "What the hell are you two doing here?" asked a whispered, frantic voice.

"We're here for Ki Leng." The voice that responded was from the admitted killer, and Zuko's gut churned at the sound of it.

"Both of you need to leave. I don't care who this guy is. You know what's going on in there."

"A meeting. Big deal. What's so special about this one?"

"The fact that you don't know is exactly why you need to get lost."

The other henchman holding him captive cut in, "They're trying to decide who our new leader is."

There was a hiss of displeasure from the stranger.

"What? I thought it was Ki Leng," said the killer.

"It may not be in the next five minutes."

"Based on how nervous you are, I'm willing to bet Katzu just challenged him for the title. He's got enough support to pull it off. They're in there debating it right now, aren't they?" asked the henchman.

"Shit, why doesn't anyone tell me these things?" the killer fretted.

"Both of you shut up. You've already said enough," said the stranger.

Zuko could almost feel them staring at him after that last remark.

"We're going in. This can't wait." The older man gripped Zuko's upper arm.

"You must have a death wish," muttered the stranger, "I hope for your sake this is worth risking your head. Make it quick, or it's your funeral."

A door opened in front of them. Zuko wondered if his luck could get any worse. Not only was he being brought directly to the heart of the monster, but this group was in the middle of a power struggle.

Memnar was pushed forward and hauled into a large room. Zuko could only tell its size by the way the hushed conversations going on echoed and disappeared into the high ceiling above them. The room quieted, and the tension in the air skyrocketed. To say Zuko was nervous was an understatement. Though he couldn't see anything, there was something lethal in the air here, and unless he could convince Memnar to cooperate with him, there was nothing Zuko could do about it.

The man gripping his arm was immediately questioned on why he interrupted. He offered only a cryptic response, but once again stressed that 'this was more important that what was going on around them'. It took a minute or two of back and forth convincing before a hoarse voice full of impatience spoke from the far side of the room. He gave the two henchmen behind him permission to approach.

It was obvious they were nervous, but they strode forward in confidence. After stumbling a few steps, Memnar was thrown to his knees. It irritated his throbbing head and he was suddenly aware of the taste of blood in his mouth. Slow, precise steps walked towards him before stopping. Memnar tried to strain his covered eyes to get a glimpse of who it was.

"What? Another noble for ransom?" said the deep, hoarse voice. "You have a lot of nerve stopping this meeting for _this_. On top of that, I don't like repeating myself. Your instructions were to bring them to the south side hideout for holding, not here."

The older of the two behind Zuko spoke confidently, "Trust me, Ki Leng, you want to see this one."

"Tch," Ki Leng sneered, "This better not be a waste of my time."

The black cloth was pulled from his head and Memnar immediately looked around for an exit. His hair covered his face, which only made the spirit strain his neck harder to get a glimpse of the room. There were easily over sixty people surrounding them. They watched him curiously for a moment, but then turned their heads back the man standing before him, deciding that the prize the two criminals brought in was not worth studying. Memnar lost interest in everything surrounding him the moment his eyes zeroed in on a set of doors. He struggled again with the rope binding his wrists together.

"How nice. You've brought me a useless commoner." Their leader threw the black cloth into the henchman's face.

The henchman pulled it off and looked between Zuko and his boss. "Wait!" he yelled. Desperately, he reached out, grabbed Zuko's hair, and yanked his head back. Memnar was now forced to stare into the eyes of the gruff man looking down at him.

Ki Leng was disinterested until his eyes ran over the most prominent feature on his face. He blinked, then his face slowly fell into recognition. It was a sight Zuko was growing sick of. He cursed whoever had the stupid idea to put the Fire Lord's face in every school, shop, and street corner in the whole nation.

Ki Leng's surprise, however, was short-lived as his eyes immediately narrowed in suspicion.

A man with long black hair standing behind Ki Leng slowly walked up behind him in complete shock. Ki Leng glared at him harshly as he passed. The man didn't stop until he was directly in front of Zuko.

"Katzu," the henchman tentatively acknowledged.

"Impossible…" the long-haired, would-be leader said.

'Katzu' reached out toward Zuko intending to touch his scar. Memnar flashed him a dangerous look and considered biting his hand if it got any closer. Lucky for the felon, he stopped midair before pulling back and composing himself.

Frantic whispering spread through the room as black hair finally fell back to reveal Zuko's face. Ki Leng turned his scrutinizing gaze from Katzu back to Zuko. "I don't believe it," he said.

"I know," said the killer behind Zuko, "he was-"

"Quiet," the leader interrupted. "I mean that I do not believe it is who you seem to think it is."

Katzu snapped out of his shock. "It's him. I've seen his face before."

Zuko didn't recognize him at all. If he knew this face belonged to this murderous group, he'd be suffering a fate worse than prison.

Ki Leng made no further move to disagree with him. He frowned and his suspicion melted into irritation. "Who was the one that captured him?"

"Me," said the older of the duo standing next to Zuko, proudly. The leader kept a straight face as the henchman explained the entire situation to him. After his 'impressive' story of Zuko's capture, a drawn-out silence briefly followed.

"Do you know who this is?" Ki Leng grumbled, his knuckles suddenly going white.

"Fire Lord Zuko."

"You're right," said Ki Leng as he walked up to his subordinate, "You unbelievable fool."

Without warning, the leader sent a fist flying towards his face and the impact echoed a sickening snap throughout the room. The man hit the floor and stared up at Ki Leng in shock as he brought a hand up to grab his now bleeding nose. Ki Leng shoved his foot down on the man's neck and leaned in.

"The only reason you're not burning alive right now is because I'm allowing it."

With a swift kick of his foot, he stepped back from the henchman on the floor and stepped up to his partner, who backed away when he saw the ferocious look on Ki Leng's face.

"What were you thinking?!" he yelled. "I said go into the city and pick up nobles we can use for ransom once this spirit thing is over with! I said nobility, not fucking _royalty_ you idiot!"

He punched him hard in the face like his partner, causing him to crash into the ground. "Now every soldier in the Fire Nation is going to patrol these streets looking for him!"

Zuko was so caught up with the conversation at hand that he didn't notice Memnar until it was too late. He was skimming through his thoughts for a way to get out of this bind. Zuko stopped him and confronted him head-on. _'Get out.'_

" _You know how to untie this,"_ he said as he shifted attention to his hands, then spoke darkly, _"Show me."_

' _No. You'll get us both killed,'_ Zuko said, bitterly.

He fell back to a previous tactic he had done with Memnar and attempted to point out the sheer numbers in the room against him, but the spirit didn't care. It was a fool's errand, but the only thing Memnar wanted to do was grab the knife attached to Ki Leng's hip and drive it into his chest, then make a mad dash for the exit.

Considering Zuko's words, Memnar stilled slightly. His eyes ran over the sharp end of the blade and the memory of a different one at his neck not too long ago came to mind. _"There's already a high chance of that happening. We're not walking out of here. Even you think it yourself."_

The spirit was right. But - _'You taking that knife will guarantee it.'_

 _"Then what better solution do you have?!"_

Suddenly, a chill crept up his spine that was setting warnings off in Zuko's mind.

Zuko had been in more precarious spots in his life, but there was something going on here that was unlike any situation he'd been in before. There was something in the air that was unnaturally unsettling. He noticed it when he was first brought in here, but it was getting worse by the second.

He focused intently on everything Memnar was forcing him to look at, wondering what it was that was sending his flight response into a sudden overdrive. There was something dangerous in here. It felt as though a deadly shadow were hovering right behind him, but there was nothing of the sort in here!

Distracted, Zuko didn't respond, and Memnar's rage heightened as he futilely fought with the binds on his wrists. The spirit's thoughts started to mesh together and, once again, Zuko could feel nothing but anger coming from him.

No, not just anger.

Briefly, he could feel the desperation the spirit was feeling, and it was turning Memnar into something unrecognizable. In a foreboding sense, it occurred to Zuko just then that Memnar was being stretched too thin. He could feel it plain as day now. Since waking up, control had been slipping from the spirit more and more, and there was a limit to how much more he could take, and it was fast approaching.

This situation they were in and Zuko's blatant refusal to help only pushed him closer to a breaking point. The spiraling rage, the trembling of his body, and the animalistic murder now beaming from his eyes - Memnar was losing control of himself.

There was no telling what would happen if he was pushed too far and given their circumstance, Zuko suddenly did not want to find out.

The spirit met the dark eyes of Katzu still looking down at him. He knew it wasn't the man in front of him causing this growing cloud of apprehension, but there was something swirling in his eyes that was more threatening than the rest of the people in there. He looked at Zuko with an intensity he'd rarely seen in his life.

There was a challenge in those dark irises, and despite his chaotic thoughts, Memnar noticed.

He matched Katzu's frown with a glare that could melt steel. Unwilling to yield to Memnar's look, the felon did something else that made Zuko's heart drop. He smirked.

Thinking quickly, Zuko spoke to Memnar before his rage could be ignited any further by the provocation. _'Alright, I'll untie it!'_

Memnar's attention snapped at the words. There was only a mere moment of hesitation before he was at the border of their minds, waiting eagerly for Zuko to let him in.

' _First, I need to know something.'_

" _Speak,"_ he hissed.

' _What is your word worth?'_

" _What?"_ he asked, taken aback.

' _What is it worth?!'_

Memnar regarded him curiously, _"Everything."_

' _Then swear it, when the ties are loosened, you'll wait for an opportunity. Swear it you won't do something to get us killed.'_

" _Done_."

With his word in place, and still not entirely sure if he could trust it, he offered Memnar the knowledge he needed. Memnar took it and immediately put it to work. The blazing inferno lessened and Zuko hoped it would be enough to calm him for at least a little while.

"What an interesting day this has turned out to be," said Katzu, interrupting Ki Leng's rant. He then turned to the two henchmen still cowering from Ki Leng on the ground. "Well done. There-"

"Ki Leng, what are we going to do about him?" interrupted a man leaning against a pillar. There was a slight shadow cast over him, but not enough to hide his features. He had spiky brown hair that fell into a small, tight braid behind his back. Like his own, the left side of the man's face was covered in a scar, though, his was at least three times the size of Zuko's.

At the interruption, Katzu shot the man a glare before both leaders locked eyes. Tension rose between them until Ki Leng looked away dismissively. Scarface continued, "Look at his eyes. He's possessed."

"He probably wandered down here unprotected like all the other 'high-borns'," Katzu scoffed and folded his arms.

Ki Leng grabbed the killer still cowering on the floor. "On your feet," he said as he roughly pulled him up. "Was he with anyone?"

The young man shook his head. "No, I swear it."

Scarface crossed his arms, agitated. "That's highly unlikely, but even if it's true, we're not safe with him here. The Royal Guard could be on their way as we speak."

"Tch, they'll never find us," said Katzu.

"They've already been to this place before. They know the area."

"I've had enough of your obsession with those soldiers and their captain," said Katzu.

Scarface's lip twitched and his knuckles whitened. "It's not an obsession. They've been on to us for weeks. I warned you that kid's fiasco," he growled as he gestured to the killer, "was going to draw them out. He took things too far. Far enough to grab the Fire Lord's attention. It's bad enough that they're investigating us, but now that we're holding the Fire Lord prisoner, they'll come. Ki Leng, don't underestimate them. We need to get rid of him and clear out _now_."

Ki Leng looked thoughtful as he considered the advice, but Katzu only looked more annoyed. "Your disrespect and lack of faith in this outfit is insulting to everyone here. We're not leaving, not until this is over and not while I have the Fire Lord at my feet."

"You're not in charge here, Katzu," Scarface growled.

Katzu didn't acknowledge his last statement and kept his eyes on Zuko, looking at him as though he were a piece of expensive meat. Clearly angered at being ignored, scarface pushed off from the pillar, but Ki Leng threw his hand up in the air before he could take a step. "Stay out of this."

The feeling of his wrists loosening pulled Zuko's attention back to the spirit. The amateur knot was untied thanks to Zuko's instruction and everyone was too preoccupied to notice. Memnar kept his wrists together and grumbled impatiently as he stared at the doors at the corner of his eye. With the attention off the untied knot, it immediately went to the bitter taste of blood still in his mouth.

Without giving it a second thought, he spat on the ground. Horrified, Zuko watched as it landed right next to Katzu's foot.

He stepped back in surprise, then the curious amusement on the felon's face earlier quickly disappeared. He frowned and narrowed his eyes.

"Hmph. What an odd sight this is. To see a king like you kneeling before men like us…it must be humiliating." Katzu grabbed his chin roughly and lifted his face up, eyes fixed on his scar. "To touch royalty without permission is punishable by death, no?"

Memnar forcefully pulled his face out of his hand.

"Enough," said Ki Leng, "This is no place or time for your games."

"Tch. Games? We are already playing a power game here, aren't we? I've been waiting for this moment a long time, Ki Leng – to knock you off your pedestal. But," Katzu knelt in front of Zuko, now at eye level, "you fools had to go and bring in the one and only thing that could interest me more."

Not giving Ki Leng a chance to retort, Katzu quickly spoke again, "I wonder how much the Fire Nation would offer to get you back?"

"You're insane," said scarface.

He laughed. "And you're a moron to think I was serious. He is worth more than all the gold in the world. Entire armies would go to the ends of the Earth just to rescue you. I'll admit there's not even a slight possibility we can barter a deal like that. Your life is untouchable," he concluded as his hand slowly hovered down to his hip, "but your death is another matter."

Before Memnar had time to blink, Katzu pulled out a knife and slashed Zuko's chest. Memnar grunted in pain as blood darkened his shirt and fell below. Katzu studied the knife and the red now staining it. "Hm. You're no god after all. So fragile, like the rest of us." Katzu's eyes narrowed and his tone dropped, "I was such a fool back then. I should have just killed you myself."

Trying hard to ignore the deep cut bleeding out, both Zuko and Memnar eyed him questioningly for his last remark.

"Back away from him, Katzu," said Ki Leng. "We are not going to kill him, and I'm not done with you."

Katzu glanced behind him before turning back to Zuko. "We'll have to put this conversation on hold for a moment. There's something I need to take care of." He stood and took a few steps toward Ki Leng. "I was going to wait until after I was done humiliating you, but my patience has run out."

"Don't condescend to me. This debate is over. I only brought you here so I could make an example of you and kill you in front of everyone."

Katzu frowned and narrowed his eyes.

Ki Leng folded his arms and chided, "You thought you could become leader of Huo Mar by simply throwing a fit. I'd say you have a lot to learn, but you're not going to live long enough for that."

"Do I? For one so smart, Ki Leng, you really are a moron. You lecture me on being ignorant, but I could never match a buffoon like you. After all," Katzu said as he raised his hand in the air, "you're the one who was stupid enough to walk right into an ambush."

Katzu waved his hand and a breath of a second later, people in the crowd sprung to action. They immediately either knocked out or disarmed others standing next to them. Everyone else barely had time to react as they were attacked. Three men went straight for Ki Leng but were cut off when scarface jumped in front of him defensively. Out of everyone in the room taken by surprise, he was the only one to manage a few blows on the assailants, but numbers quickly overpowered him and his face was in the ground within moments.

"You dishonorable bastard! What do you think you're doing?!" roared Ki Leng as he was grabbed and forced to kneel.

"Taking what's mine," Katzu sneered. "Did you really believe I would meet you here on fair ground? Like every other 'traditional debate' we've had? You morons and your honor."

"Bastard," Scarface strained from the ground. "Power hungry, dishonorable bastard!"

"You should know by now this isn't just about my desire for power, or has Ki Leng failed to mention why so many of us wanted to dethrone him?"

"The only reason is because you're a scheming liar who gets into people's heads!"

Katzu flicked some of the blood from his knife. "Do you want to know why I'm doing this, Ki Leng? Why I finally stood up to you? Why so many are on my side and want nothing more than to see you rotting in a ditch?"

Ki Leng growled, frustrated.

"It's because of that shadow king you worship."

Katzu looked around the faces in the room and continued, "Why don't I reveal your little secret to everyone here, shall I? The rumors you've all been hearing lately are true. Ki Leng sold out Huo Mar and he's been doing the bidding of an outside power."

Heads turned and whispering spread through the room, Katzu raised his voice before people started shouting. "He's nothing more than a dog responding to his master's commands. I'm willing to bet our 'beloved' late leader's death was planned by that puppet master to put you in power. Isn't that right, Ki Leng?"

He merely glared at him, livid. Katzu scoffed, "You're not even going to try to deny it? You've made this embarrassingly easy." He turned back to Zuko with a triumphant smile. "Spirit, can the Fire Lord hear what I'm saying right now?"

Memnar didn't answer and considered spitting at his feet again, this time on purpose. This guy was getting under both their skin. He was a talker, and clearly enjoyed toying with people.

"Well, in case he can, I'll let him in on a little secret as well. Did he know that the Fire Nation's most dangerous criminal element is run by none other than one of his generals?"

' _What?'_ Zuko asked in complete shock.

"It's unfortunate I can't see the shock that would otherwise be there. For months now, this shadow leader has been pulling all the strings here."

An explosion of anger erupted in him, but this time it was all Zuko. A name. He wanted a name. _'Ask him.'_

Memnar wouldn't.

"But, things are going to change. No more will we be controlled by some puppet master. I've had enough of doing his bidding." Katzu stepped forward and looked down at Zuko. "I have to admit, for some time, I thought it was the Fire Lord pulling the strings until I found out the truth. It doesn't matter who it is, though, today it ends."

He knelt down in front of him again and pressed the knife he slashed him with earlier against his cheek. Memnar leaned back, but Katzu easily followed. "'Shadow King' aside, there's something I want to ask the Fire Lord. Does he recognize me? I wouldn't be surprised if he doesn't. He was directly responsible for breaking my life into shambles a few years ago; a simple, careless yes or no decision from him ruined everything for me."

Zuko didn't recognize him and frankly, he didn't really care who he was right now. All he could think about was the fact that one of his generals was controlling this murderous group right under his nose.

Katzu lifted the knife off his skin and looked below his jaw. He pulled down the collar of his cowl and stared at his neck. "I heard rumors this was all that was left from that encounter. It's a shame she didn't press harder," he said as his finger traced the red line on his throat. "But I guess I have none to blame but myself. The old saying is true, isn't it? If you want something done right, you should do it yourself."

Instantly, Zuko's mind stilled at the words. The red scar on his throat, the one the assassin left him – there were only a handful of people that knew about the attempt. If Katzu knew it meant…

That assassination attempt was his doing. The woman that seduced him that unpleasant night was paid off by him. Suddenly, the finger that was toying with the scar felt like poison. He was disgusted by his touch.

"I'd given up hope of getting to the Fire Lord. After that whore failed to kill him, he finally wised up and put a deadly army between him and any would-be assassin. How lucky I am that he was possessed by some foolish spirit who walked him right into my hands. So simple. So easy. It makes me want to laugh. Because of you, I get a second chance to do something I've only dreamt about."

Memnar was disgusted with him too and leaned away. "Don't touch me," he said.

"Oh, it finally speaks?" said the long-haired man as a smirk grew on his lips. "What's your name, spirit? I want to know who's possessed the all-powerful Fire Lord."

When Memnar remained silent, Katzu put the knife he was so fond of right on top of the scar on his throat. "I asked you a question."

Though Zuko was just as pissed, the sticky blood from earlier was still on the blade, and it reminded him once again of his situation. He forced himself to quell his anger and attempted to remind Memnar of their agreement, but the spirit was having none of it and hissed, "You don't intimidate me, scum."

Katzu's brow shot up in surprise. "Interesting. Either you're an idiot, or you know exactly what's going on, which makes you an even bigger fool."

"I fear nothing, especially not the likes of you."

"You may change your mind. You know, our previous, sorry excuse for a leader was possessed. He was thrown into an inferno by the people that killed him, but it will always stick in my mind the last moments he had alive. The spirit didn't even try put up a fight when he was thrown into the fire, it just stood still, even as his skin burned."

"I don't care," Memnar deadpanned. This guy _really_ liked to talk, and by the look on his face, he could tell it was starting to annoy the spirit.

"You're rather bold, considering I have a knife to your throat. You probably look down on others where you come from. You're the first spirit I've met so far who's so…prideful. You don't seem to fear much. Perhaps I can change that?" he asked sadistically.

"Do your worst. Nothing will change."

' _Don't say that!'_ yelled Zuko.

Ignoring him, Memnar continued even when Katzu pressed the tip of the knife into his skin, "I've dealt with your type longer than you could ever imagine. Tch, there is nothing a small man like you could do to intimidate me. Your pitiful threat means nothing."

"I'll kill you for saying that," Katzu said with narrowed eyes. "And in case you haven't noticed, this threat isn't just _talk_."

"It won't make you any less pathetic than you are right now. You think that by killing one of your own, it makes you more impressive? You mortals disgust me."

"Useless spirit," muttered Katzu.

"Pathetic human," Memnar retorted with a glare.

Losing his cool, Katzu took the knife from his throat and stood tall, giving Memnar a condescending look.

"If you think you're so much more impressive than us," said the felon, "tell me why I'm the one looking down on you. Regardless of what you think of death, it must drive you mad knowing that 'disgusting humans' have you completely at our mercy."

The corner of Memnar's mouth twitched and his fists tightened. That same uncontrollable anger Memnar had earlier crept back in as he felt the weight of so many eyes looking down on him. Katzu continued, "I take back what I said earlier, I don't care what your name is. You're just a useless spirit and I'm not going to waste more of my time talking with you. I would have preferred to look into Zuko's eyes when I kill him. How disappointing that I'm left with a nobody like you."

Something about that last retort crossed a line with Memnar. He was never, in all his existence, ever referred to as nothing.

This place – this world - was driving him crazy. He was on his knees in front of what mortals considered to be the lowest of their kind and they just told him he was _nothing_. It was absolutely humiliating. It was too much, and Memnar couldn't take it anymore.

As Memnar slipped further into rage, he started moving his hands, the deal with Zuko now dust in the wind. Immediately, Zuko tried to get his attention and stop him, but as he called his name, Memnar turned inward.

There was a moment that Memnar was still as the red eyes of his conscience stared at him. Zuko couldn't understand his jumbled thoughts, but there was one as clear as crystal he could hear. He could not explain how or why Memnar came to his next conclusion: This, _all of this,_ from the beginning was suddenly Zuko's fault.

 _Everything_ was his fault.

He didn't have time to wonder why all the blame was now on him. Immediately, Zuko recognized the threat coming from him. If he hadn't felt it before, Memnar surely would have gotten what he wanted. As quick as he could, Zuko threw up the wall between them as Memnar lashed out at him. It was happening again, like last night. The spirit had his eyes on Zuko's soul and wanted nothing more than to tear it to shreds.

Zuko stood his ground and pushed back, watching Memnar pace at the border like some feral animal.

Zuko wasn't sure what to do. He was too stunned by the spirit's decision to place all of the blame solely on him to do anything else. The strain this struggle was causing on his mind was incredibly immense, and Zuko knew he couldn't keep it up for long.

To make matters worse, that presence from earlier was back. When the same lethal chill brushed across his back, he could hardly spare a thought for it, too focused on keeping Memnar out.

Katzu, who was completely forgotten by both of them, spoke again. He was continuing his monologue to Memnar, reminding him again and again that he was at his mercy, but Katzu and the other criminals were suddenly the least dangerous thing in here compared to the spirit and that shadow still behind Zuko. Whatever it was, it was growing at an alarming rate. Was Zuko the only one that could feel that threat behind him?!

No one, not even the spirit seemed to sense its presence.

Zuko was so focused on what was behind him and the spirit in his mind, that it didn't even register when Katzu stopped speaking, and when a fist collided with the side of his face, it took him completely by surprise.

Memnar crashed into the ground, his hands breaking from the grip behind him to try and catch his fall. The side of his face throbbed, still sore from being hit earlier. He was stunned for a moment before Memnar slowly moved to pull himself up and turned his narrowed eyes toward Katzu.

The felon smirked and seemed to enjoy the shocked expression while it was briefly there. He also didn't seem to care that Zuko's hands were now untied. It was clear who was in control here, and it wasn't the spirit on his knees. Memnar lowered his eyes and his assault on Zuko ceased, but he did not feel any better with the spirit's attention off of him.

There was something dangerous stirring in Memnar. It was heat, hatred, humiliation, and something Zuko didn't recognize, but it was terrifying.

Suddenly, Zuko's temperature started to climb until steam started to rise from his damp clothes. Zuko knew this sensation well, and was alarmed to realize that Memnar was using Dragon Breath. The spirit was firebending and didn't even realize it.

Some of the people in the room looked at Zuko, then Katzu as steam continued to rise from his body. Zuko could vaguely see some of them begin to look around the room nervously. At the same time, the shadow started to move.

Katzu didn't seem to care for Memnar's firebending and looked passed it. "It's rude to ignore someone when they're talking to you," he said, "Look at me."

Memnar tightened his fists before he obeyed and slowly lifted his head until his eyes met Katzu's. What happened next, Zuko wasn't quite sure how to explain.

The felon's haughty smirk widened briefly, then froze. Memnar was staring at him so intensely that Katzu's whole body seemed to lock under his gaze. It wasn't until the smile fell and the blood drained from his face that Zuko realized Memnar was somehow rooting him there. He nearly missed the surprise Memnar felt, as though he himself didn't understand what was going on, but it didn't last long. As soon as he felt the sensation, Memnar grabbed hold of it with a death grip.

A reach of control froze Katzu. So long as the man looked into his eyes, he was at Memnar's mercy. The spirit wasted no time in his next assault. Thoughts of something, dark memories that were never meant for mortals, started pouring through his gaze like a flood, and Katzu was stuck in it.

The man's body jerked and trembled slightly. He made a strangled sound, suddenly unable to breathe. Fear entered his eyes, and the moment terror took over him, Memnar's grip grew even more intense. The people around them looked between the two and backed away.

"Katzu?" a voice interrupted.

Katzu was jerked out of the trap Memnar had him in and stumbled back. He quickly brought a hand up to his face and started breathing hard. He looked back at Memnar then backed away, his face fear-stricken. He turned to his closest henchman.

"Kill him!" he yelled while frantically pointing at Zuko. "Now!"

All eyes were on him now. Memnar turned his deadly gaze to them and Zuko felt what little self-control he had shatter in an instant.

* * *

Shen slowed the group to a halt. At first, he didn't want to believe it, but when he looked down at Ruby, whose glowing eyes were staring intently at a building down the street, he had no choice. He knew exactly what lay inside it.

' _Damnit!'_ he thought bitterly and urged Ruby and the others following them into an alleyway.

He glanced around him to make sure they had no curious followers then tightened his fists. Of all the places that damn spirit could have taken Zuko, this was the absolute worst.

"There?" Toran asked her.

She nodded.

Shen casually glanced over his shoulder and was relieved that his men following him caught onto what was going on. They disappeared into the shadows. He couldn't see them, but he knew they were close. Hopefully, they would take the hint and start scouting the street. He turned back when he heard the sound of a chain rubbing against metal. Ruby again fidgeted with the shackles he put her in. One was chained to her, and the other was to another one of his guards standing next to him.

She tugged at it again with a small pout on her lip.

"Are you _sure_ it's that one?" Toran asked again.

She tilted her head to look the building once again, her glowing eyes standing out in the darkened night. "Yes," she said lightly, "right there."

The man turned to his captain. "You know where we are, right?"

Shen sighed, frustrated, then nodded. He suppressed the heavy feeling of failure before it threatened to emerge. He didn't have time to feel upset with himself, not while they were standing at this particular place.

First, the spirit escapes, and now _this_.

Zuko was probably going to get rid of him after this whole ordeal for screwing up so badly. He had about thirty likely situations that they could have found Zuko's spirit in, but this one was at the bottom of his list and the absolute worst. Still, it crossed his thoughts, but he thought the chance so low that he didn't bother to take enough people with him. They were outnumbered here, he was sure of it.

He turned to the guard Ruby was attached to. "Take her back to the palace."

He looked like he wanted to argue, but nodded and reached with his unchained arm for Ruby. Her eyes widened and she quickly stepped back, but was stopped by the chain. Seeing the alarm in her eyes, he stopped the guard.

The moment they set out for the city, Ruby was keeping her distance from them as much as she could. She didn't trust them and was obviously uncomfortable, but he didn't care. He had the sense to set up a plan in case what she did to his men last night happened again.

She was chained to one of his best fighters and the key to her shackles was with him. Should anything suspicious happen, his men had orders to intervene and knock her out. After all, she seemed to have abilities no one else had, and who was to say she wasn't hiding something else?

It was a dangerous gamble to bring her with them, but he was out of options. He needed her help and he needed her to cooperate.

"He's not going to hurt you," said Shen, but he didn't quite manage the soft tone he was hoping for.

She merely looked at him questioningly. He turned away when another guard stepped into the alley and approached them. "I don't like this, Captain. There's not a single guard on lookout in these streets. It's unlike them to be so careless."

"A trap?" Toran suggested. "Do they know we're coming?"

"No." Shen shook his head. It didn't feel like a trap to him. No, something else was going on.

"Our scout should be in by now," said one of the guards, "This whole situation is suspicious. I wonder if that damn spirit has something to do with it."

Ruby turned a blank expression towards him. "He has a name," she said.

"I know," Shen said as he looked down the street. He was always one to follow his hunches, and right now, his instincts were telling him they did _not_ have time to gage the situation. He had to make a decision _now_. He promptly gave orders for two in the group to run to the closest patrols near them and bring them here. He had a feeling this was going to turn into a fight, and, as they were now, they were going to lose.

As the captain watched two of his men disappear like shadows in the night down the alley, Ruby stared intently at him. She spoke after a long silence. "Shen. That is your name?"

He eyed her for a moment before he asked, "Did Katara tell you that?"

"Yes."

"Can she hear me?"

Ruby nodded.

' _So, they really_ can _see everything that's going on_ ,' he thought.

Just the thought of it nearly made his skin crawl, and he thanked his luck again that he was not possessed. There were enough memories of prisons and cells in his past to last him a lifetime. To think of his own body as one made him feel more than apprehensive.

As he opened his mouth to issue the order to take her back again, Ruby flicked her eyes over to the building again. She swallowed and spoke quietly, "You're afraid."

"Should I be?"

She hesitated. "Maybe."

"What's that supposed to mean?" said the guard next to him, thinking what she said was a threat. Shen, however, had a feeling it wasn't. It was subtle, but the spirit fidgeted and seemed to grow uncomfortable staring at the building Zuko was in.

"It's so dark here," she said, almost inaudibly. "Dangerous…"

"We're not afraid of the dark."

Suddenly, her eyes widened and a look of fear appeared on her face that filled him with apprehension. "No one fears the dark," she said in a haunting tone, "they fear what's in it."

A scream from down the street in the direction they came from broke the rain-filled silence. He tensed and his hand automatically gripped the hilt of his blade. More, distant screams filled the air and everyone except Ruby looked around frantically.

The chorus of cries spread as far as he could hear, echoing through the streets. Desperate to find out what was going on, Shen barely spotted the man that screamed. In the distance, his glowing eyes shut and he fell to his knees, gripping his head as tight as he could. Another man who was with him grabbed onto him, looking terrified and not understanding why his companion was in pain.

An explosion rocked the area and the shock wave knocked the entire group to the ground. Shen was quick to push himself back up, but he froze and his face paled when he found the source of the explosion. The building that Zuko was in was alight with massive flames.

His ears started ringing as fear froze him. He couldn't move because of it. Something wasn't right, he wasn't one to respond like this when he was afraid. Fear gave him fuel and the courage to move, it didn't lock his limbs like it was now.

The ringing in his ears grew louder and he shook his head to get rid of it, trying to get a grip on himself. When he opened his eyes again, the flames were growing larger and his men were running towards him and the building. Shen reached up and ran a hand over his face, finding that he could move again.

He went to push himself off the wall he was leaning against, but caught sight of something that made him freeze again. His men's frantic voices, the screaming, even the rain faded out as he locked eyes with Ruby, who was now down the street, close to the burning building. She turned, with one last glance at him over her shoulder and kept walking.

He turned to the side to see the guard she was supposed to be chained to staring at her with the same look he was. The glint of metal shackles caught his eye when they flickered the reflection of fire. The key that was supposed to be tucked into his leather gauntlets was lying with them in a pile at his feet.

Shen bolted out of the alley and started barking orders to his men as he ran towards the burning building. Ruby was now gone, but he forced himself to completely drop the thought of her and focused on the deadly flames. Zuko was in there _, is_ in there.

The doors of the building flew open with a burst of smoke. Men ran down the short steps and into the street, disorganized and coughing. The captain nearly collided with one of them and slid to a halt before he slammed into the man.

The stranger looked at him and Shen's eyes went straight to the massive scar on the side of the man's face, recognizing him instantly. If only it were the scarred eye he was hoping to see.

The felon recognized him at that same time he did. For a brief second, both were locked in an intense stare down before scarface yelled a feral howl and swung his blade through the air. Shen pulled his own blade just in time to stop him, sending a loud clash of metal into the night air.

* * *

Ruby walked calmly down a side street even though the building next to her was up in flames. She was walking so calmly, so carelessly. Katara could hear sounds of a struggle in the street fading behind her as Ruby moved further through the alleyway.

' _Ruby, wait! Turn around!'_ Katara yelled to the spirit who was not listening.

She was walking dangerously close to a burning building that, if Ruby was right, Zuko was inside. Those flames needed to be put out! If only Ruby would listen to her and give her control, she could do it herself!

People were going to die in there. _Zuko_ was -

A door down the alleyway burst open. Ruby slowed slightly, distracted when she saw a man with long hair and covered head to toe in black ash stumble out. He glanced around, not seeming to notice her, then limped quickly out into the street. When he was out of sight, another man ran out the door, spotted the fleeing on, and took off after him.

Dismissing what she just saw, Ruby continued walking. She crossed the street intending to walk into another alley, but stopped just inside it. The two men that ran were fighting in there. The older man was relentless as he threw fists through the air in a blind rage. The one with long hair struggled to keep up and only seemed interested in escaping.

The younger man stepped back to evade another fist, but bumped against a stack of crates. In his second of distraction, the other managed to punch him square in the jaw. He stumbled back and the other drew a knife as he approached him.

"You should have kept your mouth shut. This is what greed gets you, Katzu."

Katara saw it coming before it happened. She didn't know these men, she didn't know why they were fighting, but everything in her screamed to stop him, to stop what he was about to do, but she was helpless. Ruby only watched.

Without hesitating, the man drove the dagger into Katzu's chest, right into his heart. Katzu grunted and his body leaned forward. With his life being sapped by the blade, his head fell face first onto the other's shoulder and he reached out desperately, but the only thing to grip onto was the other man.

The sight was so wrong. His last embrace was in his killer's arms.

The man pulled the knife out with a sickening slice, and Katzu fell to the ground. He stared down at the one bleeding out, his fast, heavy breaths filling the air. When he finally turned away, he stepped towards Katara's direction, but froze when he saw her.

She should be afraid right now. She should be _terrified_ after what she just witnessed, but Ruby's face was impassive and she did absolutely nothing when the man gripped his bloodied knife tight, narrowed his eyes, and walked straight towards her.

' _Ruby, run! Listen to me! You have to run!'_ Katara screamed. _'Ruby!'_

Ruby did nothing, and just watched as he got closer. She didn't even attempt to stop him like she did Shen and the others only moments ago. She wasn't even trying!

No. No. Katara was going to die. He was going to kill her like he did that man. Ruby was going to let him! Katara rarely felt this bone-chilling terror in her life; like the day she faced off with Azula after she nearly killed Zuko. She was terrified then too, but she was able to move then. She was able to fight back. Not like right now!

Katara wanted to close her eyes as he got within arm's reach of her. She didn't want to watch it happen, she just couldn't! She waited for him to lift the sharp blade and anticipated the pain of it, but the blade never came. His pace never slowed.

The man passed her, continuing down the alleyway, leaving Katara in complete shock. Ruby let out a small breath she was holding and slowly turned to see him round the corner and disappear. Katara was stunned to silence and didn't notice when Ruby reached up to rub her chest. Her heart was racing.

The sound of a strained cough made her turn around. She spotted the man that was supposed to be dead still alive, weakly clutching his chest. Ruby tilted her head slightly, then moved forward. As light as a ghost, she slowly walked over to him until she was right next to him.

Her brow knit together and she squatted until she was leaning against her heels. A pool of blood was forming around the dying man and he coughed hoarsely. He looked at her desperately with tears in his eyes. He was afraid, and slowly reached out to her, grabbing her wrist with a bloody hand. Ruby looked at it, then his eyes and pulled away, rejecting his need for comfort.

Katara felt like she couldn't breathe. This was too much. She would have rather felt a knife her in chest than watch this completely, absolutely, and utterly helpless to save this man.

She was no stranger to death and people dying – she lived through a world war for crying out loud, but never in her life was she put in a situation like this. She was _watching_ someone die, and she couldn't even try to help him.

The man coughed and his hand suddenly went limp before it fell on his chest. A small breath let out, and no more followed.

Ruby watched his still form, then, for the first time, had a reaction to what she was seeing. Her eyes widened and she waited for him to start breathing again, but he never did. Blinking quickly, she jumped up and stepped back from him.

Katara wasn't sure how long Ruby stood there and just watched him, she was too numb. Ruby was still as stone, the light rain was soaking her, and she couldn't look away from the man that just died. Ruby was as afraid as she should have been since stepping in this alley. Her fright only came from the fact that the man wasn't breathing anymore. It made no sense to Katara, but her mind was suddenly hazy and she felt like she couldn't think anymore.

Something snapped Ruby out of her shock.

She finally turned away from him and walked hurriedly down the alleyway, her steps erratic. She reached up and put a hand over her eyes, gripping hard trying to rid herself of the imaging she'd just seen. Katara's mind was becoming foggier and her vision finally failed her. She didn't register the feeling of cold air blowing past her, or her body falling onto the hard pavement below.

With the sudden brought on weariness tugging at her mind, she was more than tempted to let it take her right now. She wanted to sleep, she didn't want to be awake anymore. Katara wanted the darkness to take her away for a while until the memory of a dying man and still hands were wiped away. She was nearly in the place she wanted to be until the feeling of cold water all around her brought her back.

She was extremely dizzy and let out a strained sigh. Her eyes slowly opened to her lying in a puddle of water in the alley. Her bloodied hand was in front of her and she gripped it in frustration.

It took Katara a second to realize what happened, and she was almost too delirious to notice. Ruby's familiar presence was gone. She was so far away that Katara wondered if she was even there anymore. Widening her eyes, she tried to curl her fingers again, and watched with a renewed sense of shock as they obeyed her completely.

* * *

A/N: Talk about a cliff-hanger. Katara is in control! How, why, what does it mean? Ah, next chapter is going to be so much fun~

I'm sorry I did it again…no romance moments. The next few chapters will change all of that! Until next time!


	20. The Ties That Bind

A/N: It's 3am. Can't focus...don't know what to put for author's note...

Responses:

knd: I'm not really sure what to say about it, other than it all ties together by the end. I'm sorry it's confusing you… sylah808: Ruby gave it to her for some reason. Who knows? ;) VengefulGeyzer: Download and hack, cause ya know, he's got this penchant for taking some of Zuko's thoughts pretty much whenever he wants. fan fan: Yes, they can. Everything humans can feel is everything they can feel.

TheSylverBlue: Good! There's a crap ton to remember unfortunately… waking-up-with-happiness: Cause Ruby felt like it. Just kidding. The reason will be revealed soon! TinyArtist: Be honest, do cliffhangers make a story better or worse for you? Cause there's a lot more coming haha. EternalFire1984: Glad you liked it even with all the OC interaction! nevertalk: Good to know haha. Memnar's character development is nearing.

DK009: You're welcome! Rivierra: You're spot on. It's exactly what the Sage warned him about. Anon: I worry sometimes that people may dislike the length of the chapters. Glad you like them! shadowcatt1990: In the old version, the high sage was just 'High Sage'. I didn't make it Shyu until I re-watched the series and remembered him. Yes, the chest pains are new. Zuko was getting a little too worked up…heh. Former advisor is a-okay. Almost everyone else? Not so much… InItToWinIt: Thank you, and I don't blame you for forgetting. This fic is older than my cat.

Enjoy the chapter!

Disclaimer: No own, no sue.

* * *

 _Chapter 20_

 **The Ties That Bind**

…

"Hello?!"

Katara's voice echoed back to her in the darkness. She reached out, and nothing but cold air met her fingertips. Squinting, she tried to see something, anything at all, but was completely and utterly surrounded by black. Breathing out a strained sigh, she closed her eyes and shook her head.

Why was she here? What was this place?

Something wasn't right about this. A nagging feeling that she was supposed to be somewhere else wouldn't let up. Something happened to her only moments ago, but for the life of her, she could not remember what it was. Katara took hesitant steps forward, still unable to see and not exactly sure where she was going.

However, the ground beneath her disappeared and her steps lightened until she felt as though she wasn't moving forward at all. The surrealness of it finally made Katara realize that what she was surrounded by was a dream. It had to be.

Not only just a dream, but a familiar one. This place she was in – she recognized it, like she had already been here once before in her sleep.

' _But, when-?'_

Her thoughts halted when she felt something behind her. It had a distinct presence to it, and it was very much alive. Sensing she was no longer alone, she whipped around and strained her eyes to get a glimpse of the other person. Someone was here. They were far away, enough so that if she called out, they probably wouldn't hear her.

Katara was too distracted with the discovery to question how she knew that in the first place.

Light began to appear very faintly in every direction. It slowly took shape until the dark grey hues finally revealed a street. An empty city surrounded her.

The light offered was barely enough to see fifty feet in front of her, but it was just enough to reveal that these were no ordinary buildings. Silent black flame covered every surface.

Transfixed by the sight, she approached one of the walls. There was no way what she was seeing could be real. But…if that were true, why did she feel so awake? Slowly, she raised her hand and reached out for the black flame. When she touched it, it wove through her fingers like fine vapor, then disappeared.

A loud noise in the distance made Katara jump. She turned to the source, sensing the other person in that direction.

' _Ruby…?'_ Katara thought in confusion; the memory of her spiritual companion finally breaking through the haze of her mind.

The air grew still and dropped a few degrees. It was an unfamiliar kind of cold that made her shiver in trepidation. Like sharp claws snaking across the expanse, a threatening air reached her from the other being. At that moment, Katara knew she was not safe here.

That was definitely not Ruby. It wasn't even a person.

The hostility it felt towards her was alarming. Something brushed past Katara that let her know very clearly what it was thinking - she was an invader here, and it wanted her dead because of it.

Katara turned and ran. The moment her heel kicked off from the shadowy ground, the monster in the distance took off towards her in a frenzied rage. She was crawling in comparison to how fast that thing was moving and she didn't make it fifty steps before realizing there was no way she could outrun it.

Feeling it fast approaching, Katara slid on her heel and quickly turned into an alleyway, nearly losing her footing at her frantic pace. She ran straight for the darkest part and hid the shadow. She pressed her back against the dark stone and held her breath to keep from making any noise. Fear nearly paralyzed her, and she stared at the alley's entrance with panicked eyes.

The monster lost sight of Katara and stopped it's advance, but immediately started weaving through dark areas of the streets and buildings. It was picking apart every possible hiding place, every slight crevasse she could be hiding in. With each empty spot it found, the more enraged it became and the more the temperature in the air fell.

Katara swallowed dryly. It wasn't a matter of _if_ , but _when_. This thing was going to find her, and when it did, she was going to die.

' _Is this really a dream?!'_ she inwardly pleaded.

Katara quickly looked around her for a path leading elsewhere. She couldn't stay here or it would find her for sure. When she spotted another way out, it took great effort to push herself off from the wall and step forward. Her steps were too loud, though, and she stiffened when they echoed off the walls.

The temperature dropped even further and chilled air pressed up against her back. It found her, and there was no hope of running from it now. She choked back a strangled cry as dread filled her entire being, and slowly turned to look behind.

* * *

Katara's eyes flew open as she woke with a start. She quickly sat up, but her entire body lagged with incredible exhaustion and her own weight brought her back down. Her head hit the pavement and splashed in the shallow puddle she was lying in.

Dazed, Katara darted her eyes to every dark corner of the narrow alley she was in, looking desperately for that monster that was following her. Though, it didn't take long to realize that this place and the other were very different. The buildings here were as they should be, and, despite the rain, the air was far warmer and familiar.

It took a few minutes before she was able to stand on her feet. She stumbled and leaned on the wall she was clutching onto to keep from falling over.

Her head ached from passing out. With slight ringing in her ears, she reached up to grab her sore temples, but her hand halted midair. Her breath hitched the moment she recognized the color of blood staining her skin.

An unpleasant memory suddenly impaled her thoughts. Slowly, her widened eyes looked down the dark, quiet alley once again. This time in search of something far worse. The only thing there was a path of stones and puddles. No sign of a dead man lying on the ground - a fact that she was immensely grateful for. In fact, it didn't look to be the same alley she was in before. Ruby must have walked farther than Katara thought.

' _Ruby.'_

At the thought of her, Katara immediately stepped into her mind and searched for the spirit's presence, but, like before, it was too far away. She waited, and expected Ruby to wake up, stir, or make any sort of move to let her know she was still there.

Nudging, prodding, even yelling her name did nothing to get her attention. Katara didn't try to reach her for very long before she gave up and turned outward again. Even though she'd known Ruby for a mere two days, the silence in her mind was an eerie one that was too uncomfortable to dwell in.

She lifted her other hand and stared at both of them, clenching them off and on. One clean, one bloody. She didn't feel any excitement in her newfound control. The only thing she could think about was that awful color covering her and its characteristic smell.

Memories she did not want to see assaulted her again. She watched the man get stabbed, bleed out, and die before her over and over. The absolute worst part was how still her hands were the entire time. Try as she might, Katara couldn't stop it and it wasn't long before it became too much for her to handle.

Bile rose in the back of her throat and Katara leaned over as she lost what little of a meal she had left.

She angrily wiped at her mouth and squeezed her eyes shut while trying to control her heightened breathing. Of all the times to leave her alone, to give her back control, it had to be now? Ruby had to abandon her after she forced her to watch- to watch someone die?!

She didn't listen, no, she _wouldn't_ listen to Katara through any of that! None of that would have happened if Ruby had just listened to her!

Choking back a sob, Katara banged her head against the wall behind her, the coolness of it offering relief to her heated, clammy face. She was so angry with Ruby she could hardly breathe. It wasn't just because of the man that died.

She didn't know how to explain it, but the spirit took something with her when she retreated into the confines of her mind.

There was a massive hole in her chest, like Ruby took a part of her being when she vanished. It was a crippling emptiness she'd never before felt in her life. Katara hated it. It was always extremes with Ruby. Either she was too calm for comfort or now this; absolutely empty and at a loss.

Unable to handle even thinking about it, Katara opened her eyes. She intended to move forward, to do anything other than stand there and think about that gaping hole, but was once again frozen by the sight of blood on her hand.

On pure, desperate reaction, she reached out for the water on the ground, intending to wrap it around her hand to get rid of that haunting color. Her hand flicked through the air, but nothing happened. Panic spiked in the back of her mind, but the more rational part of her told her to try and reach for the water again.

She did, and again the water remained undisturbed. Katara swallowed. "No, no, no," she whispered.

She reached for it over and over. She used both of her hands, she tried a hundred different techniques, she even begged out loud without realizing it. Her movements grew absolutely frantic until the reality that she could not waterbend finally made her stop.

To be separated from yet another part that was so close to her sent Katara over the edge. Shocked tears ran down her face. She stood like that for a while, completely immobile except for the few times she'd reach out for the puddle at her feet only to fail with each try.

Being able to control her element was so ingrained in her identity that it terrified her to see it lying so still and unmoving. Her Chi wasn't blocked, that much she could tell, and she certainly wasn't poisoned right now.

So then why? _Why?_

Katara reached up with a shaky hand and wiped at her frightened tears. Giving up, she fell to her knees and shoved her hands in the water instead. She scrubbed furiously until her hand was practically raw and all traces of blood were washed away.

When her hand was clean again, Katara didn't pull back from the water right away. She stared at the small ripples moving about in the puddle, then cupped her hand and lifted some into the air. The water drained through her fingers and fell below till her palm was empty once more. Katara let out a choked sigh as a pained expression contorted her face.

Of all the things Ruby had to take, why did it have to be her bending?

Sick with the idea, her thoughts once again hovered towards the horrible images stained to her mind, but it brought with them something else she'd forgotten entirely.

She was on her feet instantly and frantically looking for signs of a burning building. She could hardly see anything in the darkness surrounding her. It was silent other than the rain, and the smells of petrichor and wet city streets were free of smoke.

She quickly looked side to side and decided on a direction to start walking. She picked up her pace when she thought of the flames engulfing the building, and started running when she remembered that Zuko was trapped in the fire.

Just as a new type of panic took over, caused from a conjured up an image of Zuko lying unconscious in a cloud of smoke, she almost lost her footing. However, something happened that slowed her pace. She couldn't explain why, but she had the distinct feeling she was headed in the wrong direction.

Katara shook her head and tried to pick up her pace. The feeling that she was going the wrong way became heavier until it was too distracting. She slammed her foot on the ground and halted. "What is going on?" she fretted as she turned and looked behind her.

Deciding to investigate this strange feeling, she closed her eyes tight and honed in on it, wondering if she was going crazy. She wasn't, though, and realized that truth very clearly when she could suddenly feel someone else near her.

Someone she recognized.

' _Is that…Zuko?'_ she thought as she toyed with the familiarity of it. _'No…not Zuko.'_

It was Memnar.

He was far from her and his presence was growing smaller with every passing second. Katara reached into the air to find this…invisible string that lead from him to her. She thought it very strange until she remembered Ruby's ability to sense Memnar earlier; the same ability that lead them to that burning building.

Was this what that was? But, if so - why was she only feeling this now without Ruby here?

Precious moments were wasted fretting over it, and Memnar's presence was growing smaller. She swore she could feel the line in the air starting to disappear. Alarmed by its shrinking, she reached for it again.

If she lost Memnar, that meant Zuko would disappear with him, too.

Any sort of rational thought vanished that instant. She relied entirely on her senses to guide her, unworried about anything except finding Zuko. Even if he made it out of that building, he could be injured. He might have run into that man that could have killed her; his hand gripping a bloody knife and eyes clouded with murder.

Katara's chest tightened in fear and she walked faster.

* * *

Memnar stormed down the dark, narrow street. By just a glance, no one would ever suspect that he was a shred away from losing his explosive temper. His hood was down, but the rain running through his hair went completely unnoticed. Few drops made it further than his neck as the burning heat from his skin turned it into steam before it had a chance to soak his clothes.

Zuko stood back in the shadow of his mind not daring to make any sort of move that would draw Memnar's attention. He was an animal right now, and Zuko wouldn't be able to handle another attempted break-in if the spirit tried. His mind still ached from the last onslaught.

Not only that, but Zuko feared what another outburst might do.

Tiny tendrils of smoke brushed across his cheek from a singed part of his tunic; the smell of it filling his senses. It rocked a memory in Zuko, and suddenly, he was surrounded by raging blue flame. It wasn't a fire controlled by willpower in the slightest, but a flame born of absolute, unadulterated rage.

Memnar lost control, and blue flames he'd only ever seen his sister able to bend spread from him in every direction tearing across the floor, eating away at the walls, and incinerating everyone in its path who couldn't bend the flames back. The screams of people burning were the last things he heard before Zuko shoved the memory out with force.

A sense of dread welled in his throat, and he wondered how many people died because of that explosion.

Zuko turned his attention to the street. When he did, he realized Memnar was watching him; his raging thoughts an undercurrent beneath them. He steeled himself and failed at not reacting to him. He glared at the spirit, and his fresh hatred for the invader couldn't be held back.

Zuko was half tempted to demand an explanation for all of that. To ask how he was able to create such power that he had never come close to touching, but he was angry enough that he couldn't manage the words. Memnar was the last person he wanted to talk to right now.

As they both stared each other down, he could feel that Memnar was itching for something. A fight perhaps, but it was hard to tell. He readied himself for another onslaught, guessing that it was inevitable at this point.

Surprisingly, Memnar did not attack him. With a harsh mental shove, he pushed Zuko away and went back to focusing on where he was going. He was still restless and felt an overpowering desire to destroy something.

That felon who forced him on his knees, the one that called him _nothing_ , got away. His intention was to hold him down and watch as the life drained from his eyes, but Memnar was robbed of that opportunity when he disappeared in the confusion. Because of that, he had nothing to channel his rage to and his hands twitched with ravenous yearning.

Memnar sighed, frustrated, and brief, small flames escaped from his nostrils. Zuko knew this feeling wasn't going away anytime soon, and he hoped these streets remained empty until the spirit calmed down. He already had to watch his body be the one responsible for ending who knows how many lives tonight, criminal or otherwise. To see it again would–

No, he didn't want to think about it. He had to focus on what was going on _right now_. The reality was, in this state, Memnar was going to kill the next person that stood in his path.

 _'Here,'_ he said as he approached the spirit and held out a bundle of thoughts.

He was powerless against that monster, and this was the only thing Zuko could do.

The spirit eyed the knowledge suspiciously when he realized what was being offered. " _Why?"_ he asked.

' _Just take it.'_

Memnar didn't need to be told twice and snatched the thoughts from him. He now possessed the thing Zuko tried so hard to keep from him. A way out of the city. A path that led him and his murderous blue flames away from any man, woman, or child.

Feeling defeated, Zuko sunk back wordlessly and swallowed his pride at his willingness to give the spirit such a thing. A map filled his mind and Memnar immediately changed direction.

However, it appeared fate was hellbent on tormenting him tonight. Not twenty steps later, Zuko's earlier fear came to fruition. Hidden in the dark, someone, light on their feet, was following Memnar. The spirit tightened his fists and picked up his pace, his rage starting to break through once again.

He stepped behind a corner and slipped into the shadows. _'Wait!'_ Zuko said frantically. _'I gave you that for a reason. Just get away from whoever this is and get out of the city! Don't do this!'_

His desperate words slipped past Memnar unheeded, and the steps of their follower got closer.

With a snarl, he reached out for the other person, grabbed hold of them by the neck with one hand and pulled them into the alley. He turned his body and slammed the smaller person against the brick wall as his grip tightened.

Zuko felt his heart stop when he recognized the woman Memnar was strangling. Her small hands grabbed at his in an attempt to lessen the vice he held her in, and she choked on what little air she could get. Her glowing blue eyes opened wide and desperately pleaded with his own.

Zuko was thrown into a full-blown panic at the feeling of his own handing tightening around Katara's neck. _'No, stop!,'_ he bellowed. _'Memnar, stop! Let her go!'_

It all happened so fast, but now that Memnar was staring back into her eyes, his tsunami of anger suddenly froze, and the heat coursing through his veins extinguished. His grip loosened slightly, enough for her to breathe. She took in a massive, desperate breath and clawed again at his grip.

A bolt of electricity shot through his fingertips and up his arm that made him break from her completely. Memnar pulled back in surprise and stared at his slightly throbbing hand. Ruby stumbled away from him, gripping her neck and coughing. As she took in struggled breaths, she looked to him, but this time with fear in her eyes.

It affected Zuko more than it should have.

Memnar lowered his hand, and the two stared at each other for a long minute.

"Zuko?" she asked with a strained voice, rubbing her neck. Her brow knit together a second later. "I mean-"

She didn't finish and Memnar blinked at her a few times in confusion. He ran his eyes over her with an incredulous look before settling back to her own. "Who are you?"

Instant confusion filled Zuko at his question and he was floored when she offered him her answer. "Katara."

"Is that supposed to mean something to me?"

"It's my name," she hesitated. "This is my body."

Memnar grew aggravated. "Are you another spirit?"

"No," she said as she took a step back from him.

"Don't lie to me."

"I'm not. _This is my body_ ," she repeated.

"You mean to tell me you're human?"

"Yes."

' _She's awake?! How is that possible?!'_ asked Zuko.

" _How would I know?"_ Memnar snapped. He eyed her for a moment before stepping towards her. Katara tensed when he leaned his face closer to hers, inspecting her eyes.

"You're not supposed to be awake."

"I don't-" she faltered, then stepped back from him again, her hand reaching up to her neck, "I don't know what happened."

Her eyes were still glowing, but that was not Ruby looking up at him. Memnar's thoughts confirmed that, but relief was the last thing Zuko felt. The spirit continued eyeing her and briefly took in her appearance. She was soaked head to toe with her hair clinging to her face and neck. She didn't seem to be hurt, but something was not right with her.

Zuko had never seen Katara in such a state before. It was one thing to be jaded and afraid, but this was something else. Her face was pale, her eyes screamed that she was terrified, and her whole body was trembling.

' _What happened to you?'_ he desperately wished he could ask.

While he had an endless stream of questions for her, Memnar reacted in a different way. He was curious why Ruby disappeared, but his interest in the matter was lost. He cared more about getting away than wasting any more time with Katara.

"Hm," was all of an acknowledgment he gave her. He stepped back, turned around and walked away.

"Where are you going?" she asked.

He ignored her and picked up his pace.

"Wait!" She ran up next to him. "Memnar, stop!"

Katara grabbed his hand to halt him. The moment his skin touched hers, it sent another shock through his arm. Memnar ripped his hand from hers roughly and she backed away from him, nervous. Not understanding what happened again, he looked between his hand and her.

' _What was that?'_ asked Zuko.

Memnar didn't know, but there was something familiar about it that the spirit was not sharing with him. Dropping his hand, he turned and started to walk away, but was blocked when Katara ran around him and planted herself in his path. "Stop," she said.

"What do you want?" he growled under his breath.

"I want to know where you're going."

"Away from here."

She shook her head. "You can't."

His voice lowered threateningly. "Step. Aside."

The timid look she had on her face stilled as she looked up at him defiantly. His fists tightened until his knuckles turned white.

"You- you're hurt!" she said when she noticed his chest. Memnar looked down, both of them suddenly remembering the bleeding gash. "And your clothes are burned! What happened to you in that warehouse?"

She reached out for his wound, but Memnar slapped her hand away when he saw her fingertips aiming for his skin, not wanting to feel that shock when she touched him. "Why are you here?" he asked, perturbed.

"To find you."

"They sent _you_ out to get me?" he asked, noting his superior size.

"No, when you disappeared earlier, Ruby knew where you were. I knew where you were."

"How?"

She hesitated. "I just…do."

He waited for a better explanation, but when she did not give one, he grit his teeth. "Are you playing games with me?"

"What?" she questioned, "No. Why would say that?"

"Then give me a proper answer."

She backed a step from him again. "I felt where you were. It was just a feeling. I followed it and found you-"

"Where is Ruby?" he interrupted.

"I don't know. She passed out, and I woke up in control."

Memnar narrowed his eyes and stepped towards her, leaning in until his face was only a few inches from hers again. Katara leaned back nervously as he studied her eyes for long, uncomfortable seconds. "She'll be waking up soon," he said.

Katara blinked nervously. "How do you know that?"

"I just do," he said, repeating her own answer. "Now, move."

She shook her head and her attention fixed on his chest again. "No. It's not safe out here and you're injured. People can die from a wound like that if they're not treated."

"I don't care," he said as he tried to sidestep her, but she jumped in front of him and threw her hands up. "I'm not going to tell you again. Get out of my way!"

His threatening, commanding voice would have warded anyone away, anyone except the woman standing in front of him. Her timid look finally disappeared completely and her face hardened as she stared at him defiantly.

"No," she bit. "Look around you! It's the middle of the night, this city is a disaster, and you're bleeding! You've put Zuko through enough already. That's his body your walking around in, not yours. I'm not letting you leave, especially after what happened back there!"

Memnar was trembling he was so angry. Zuko wished he could will her away from the spirit that was ready to snap at her. Where was Shen, where were his guards, why was she alone?! She should know better. In fact, she should be stopping him by force instead of trying to talk him into it. How could she not see what she was doing to Memnar?

A memory of blue fire flashed in front of his eyes and Zuko's chest swelled with dread.

' _Memnar,'_ he prodded.

"We're going back."

Those three words snapped what little patience he had left.

"Go back? Go back?!," he yelled. "Just to be thrown into a cell and confined again?!"

Her steely face faltered, but she managed to keep her stern look.

"I would rather be thrown into oblivion than go back to that place! I am so sick of this world. I can't stand the sight of any of it! And you!" Memnar's face became more enraged as he stepped towards Katara. She matched his pace and stepped back in response. "You want to know what happened? How I got this!" he yelled as he gestured to his chest. "Why don't I show you?!"

He reached out for her and she quickly swiped her hand out, shifting into a defensive stance. However, it halted midair and her eyes widened as she froze. It gave Memnar easy access and he gripped her outreached arm hard.

"Ah!" she screamed as Memnar slammed her back into the wall.

' _No! Let her go!'_ Zuko yelled.

Knowing what Memnar had planned for her, the same onslaught he took out on Katzu, Zuko writhed in his mind. He didn't know if it was the adrenaline or pure panic, but for the first time, he was able to shove the spirit back. With his conscious knocked off balance, Memnar stumbled for his bearings. The hand on Katara loosened slightly, but not enough to let her get away.

Even more enraged, he shoved back at Zuko, but his attention was not on him. It was still on Katara and he looked into her eyes as fury and the need to let loose filled him to the brim. However, like before, as he stared into her eyes he hesitated.

He growled in frustration when his anger faltered. He tried, _he tried so hard_ to get to her, but he couldn't make that final break. Some sliver of uncertainty he didn't understand was stopping him. With a yell, he stepped back from Katara and threw a massive blue flame to the side of him.

Katara was stunned when she saw that color of fire come from him. It hit a wall before it vanished, leaving dark scorch marks in its wake. She tried to push herself off the wall to get away from Memnar, who was so clearly losing his temper, but she was momentarily frozen by the sight of him.

His eyes glowed with fury and steam rose from every inch of his body. As he turned toward her, fear overtook Katara and she couldn't bring herself to look away from his hands; ones that could badly burn her with one swipe. She already foolishly forgot that her only means of defense, her waterbending, was gone. How was she supposed to stop him?!

Some part of her wanted to believe that Zuko was capable of stopping the spirit if he tried to hurt her any more than he had, but she knew full well just how trapped he was.

"Memnar-" she swallowed.

"No! I'm done listening!" he raged. "I am done with orders! You are nothing but a pathetic human. If I weren't stuck in this body, you and everyone else would suffer dearly for even thinking to stop me!" He suddenly squeezed his eyes shut and fiercely grabbed at his hair next to his temple. "Ugh! Shut up!"

In his moment of distraction, Katara turned to the alleyway. She tried to slide away from him but Memnar saw her retreat and slammed his hand into the wall right next to her head. He followed her gaze and glanced at the direction she was looking, then back to her, now with a hysterical look in his eye.

"Where are you going? Are you going to run to the guards to turn me in? Do you know how easy it would be for me to stop you?!" He grabbed her upper arm harshly and she winced. Even though her clothes, his hand was hot.

"What? Now you decide to stop talking?" he said as his gaze shifted towards the wall. Katara had a feeling he was not talking to her. Memnar stilled in some sort of surprise at that moment. Slowly, he looked down at her, squeezing her arm again. She winced again and reached up to try and pry it off. It was no use, and Memnar narrowed his eyes.

"Let me go," she said.

"Shut your mouth," he hissed, "and don't you dare to order me around again. I will not-"

His words were lost on her as the pain of his hand clamping down on her arm worsened. She quickly considered her options as the look in his eyes grew wilder. If she could waterbend, if only for a moment she could stop him, but what was she supposed to do without it? What were her options?!

Zuko was easily twice her size and her struggling so far only made him more enraged. She thought of screaming for help, but as his rant got more intense, she stared up at him and something in her changed. Anyone else would have grown more afraid in a moment like this. Katara did not, though. Whether it was just a brief lapse in judgment or something else, she did something in that small moment of anger before she could stop herself.

She slapped him. Hard.

The sound echoed off the walls before light rain replaced it. Zuko's and Memnar's thoughts were both blank as the spirit stared down the street at a crooked angle, his dark, wet hair covering the shock on his face. The force of Katara's blow forced his head to the side, and the hands that were pinning her now hung awkwardly in the air.

His already bruised cheek started to throb. Memnar's mood darkened again, terrifying Zuko over what he was going to do, and he slowly turned his head to glare at her. He expected to see fear on her face, and was surprised to find her scowling at him.

However, beneath her steeled features, she was shaking lightly. Not breaking his eyes from her, he reached up and rubbed his sore cheek.

"You're going to regret that," he growled.

Suddenly, sounds of quick footsteps could be heard. Both of them looked to the street, and the sound of one man's voice, in particular, caught Zuko's attention. Katara recognized it too and her eyes widened. Her mouth opened to scream Shen's name, but Memnar's hand flew over it before she could.

He grabbed her from behind and quickly backed into a crevasse in the alley, holding her tight against his chest. Memnar bit at his lip when he felt those strange shocks running through his hand as he touched her skin, and tried hard to ignore it.

A handful of guards and other soldiers passed the alleyway, but there was one at the back that slowed and looked in. Memnar gripped Katara tighter as a silent warning. The man took a step in, but distant yelling from behind him made him turn his head.

With one last glance down the narrow way, he turned around and ran towards the other guards.

Even when it was quiet, Memnar did not let Katara go. She struggled in a weak attempt to get away from him. When he deemed it safe, he finally freed all except her forearm. She had an intense glare ready for him. At the sound of more distant yelling, he jerked Katara closer to him.

"How many of them are there?" he asked.

"I don't know," she said as she pried at his vice-like grip. "Let me go."

He looked to the opening of the alley.

"No," he said, "you're not going anywhere."

Jerking her again in his direction, he quickly headed opposite of shouts in the distance. Katara tried to dig her heels in the ground to stop him, but his strength was overwhelming compared to hers. "What are you doing?" she struggled.

"Taking you with me."

* * *

A/N: Oh, Katara. She's so impulsive running off to Memnar without a plan. She did not think he would do that to her…or what he's going to do now that he has her…

P.S. I promised more updates last weekend…then I had to go and watch the new Star Wars and discover my second favorite OTP…sorry about that. For any of you who are Reylo shippers, there's crazy high readership over there, and the fics are wonderful.


	21. The Only One

A/N: Oh boy! You guys are going to love this chapter! :)

Responses:

sylah808: Agreed. Remember to remember it haha. TheLastDigidestined: Thanks for noticing that! I was wondering if that correlation wasn't subtle enough. VengefulGeyzer: I'll just say it has something to do with Ruby ;) Anonymous: Update is here! EternalFire1984: She's caring, but not smart about it sometimes, but that's why we love her character.

waking-up-with-happiness: Yes, she's in for a rough ride with Memnar. He's not very nice… shadowcatt1990: Now we're only one chapter away after this one! Memnar was just hovering above Ruby talking to longer in this version than the old. Hardly noticeable. Rivierra: Suspense is the genre, aaand it's only going to get worse ;) Ana: Haha they won't be splitting anytime soon! nevertalk: Glad you agree haha.

25Carin: No prob. I thank you for whatever review you do post! I actually don't read Zutara fics anymore…I try not to read for the fandom I write for. I did that one time in a different fandom and it killed my muse because I liked another story better than the one I was writing. Though, I have noticed the amount of Zutara fics drop off. :( Totally Spazz-tastic: It's okay to be scared. Katara should be scared too, but, ya know. It only gets worse for Zuko. Glad you like the suspense!

starry-eyed: Yes indeed! ;) : Haha he's lovable in his own strange way, and he really hated Katzu. Thanks for the review!

All Guests: Thank you guys!

Disclaimer: No own, no sue.

* * *

 _Chapter 21_

 **The Only One**

…

Memnar came to a halt just before a corner that led into a large street. He was panting, dizzy and his body was growing heavier by the second. Zuko guessed it was a mixture of exhaustion and blood loss from the wound on his chest.

Stubbornly, the spirit refused to show any sign that he was tired and peered over his shoulder at Katara, who looked up at him with an unreadable expression. They'd been walking for nearly two hours through the massive city, dodging soldiers and everything that looked even remotely suspicious to Memnar. The sun would come up in an hour or two, but he had no intention of stopping until they were through the city gates.

Katara also looked winded and wordlessly leaned against the wall, her wrist still securely tightened in his grip. She stopped talking and struggling a long time ago, and so did Zuko.

His yelling stopped when he realized Memnar was taking the frustration caused by him out on Katara. It stopped the moment he saw small red marks forming on her neck that were going to turn into bruises very soon. The night was dark, but a brief walk past a street lamp showed enough to let him know that his hands were the ones responsible for causing those marks.

He stopped because the images of what he'd done already were going to haunt him for the rest of his life.

However, he was more frustrated with Katara than the spirit right now. Even if Memnar was unpredictable with Zuko's firebending, Katara, a waterbending _master_ , was easily a match for him. At the least, she had more than enough power to stop him and get away.

She never even tried. The worst part, and the reason he was upset with her, was that she was willingly letting Memnar drag her around like some doll. Katara was a fiery woman and would stand up to the most dangerous people there were without blinking an eye, and she was ready to get into a verbal brawl with Memnar until he used a threat that shattered her resolve.

It was stupid. It was so stupid, and he wished he could tell her that.

 _Memnar stumbled when Katara used the full force of her weight to throw him off. With a yell of frustration, she tried to pull her wrist from his hand for the thousandth time. He turned to glare at her. The constant, unyielding struggling was slowing them down._

 _"I told you to be quiet," Memnar hissed._

 _"Let go! You're hurting me."_

 _"I'm not letting go until we are well away from any guards, and you're going to keep quiet until then."_

 _"I am not-"_

 _Memnar dug his thumb into her wrist and she shrieked at the pain. "Don't try it, and enough struggling. I'm tired of dragging you around. If you don't stop, I'm going to snap your wrist."_

 _Despite his threat, her angry look only grew more defiant._

 _Memnar was losing his patience again. He couldn't let her go, not while she claimed she could find him on a whim. She would run to the closest patrol and bring them straight to him. He was not going to risk setting her free just to move faster, but dragging this stubborn woman through the streets was truly testing his ability to remain calm._

 _However, as he matched her frown with his own, a thought occurred to him about that strange ability Ruby decided to share with her. Always feeling the need to get closer to her eyes when he spoke, he leaned in._

 _With his face so close, her glare faltered. "What are you doing?" she asked in an attempt to get away from the discomfort he was causing._

 _"That ability you have to sense me – I wager I could take it away from you. I doubt it would be hard. Perhaps painful for you."_

 _Katara blinked up at him and her struggle paused for a tense moment._

 _"I'll take it from you, then leave. I'll knock you against the wall, and when you wake, I will be long gone. You'll be free to run screaming to those pests. That is, if you even wake up after I'm done ripping it from you."_

 _"You wouldn't. You'd risk hurting Ruby-"_

 _"I would," he affirmed._

 _Memnar didn't know if he could actually take it from her, but he was more than willing to try; anything to stop this infuriating fight from her. He was at his wits end, and if this threat of pain didn't work, he didn't know what he was going to do._

 _Katara stiffened as conflict raged in her eyes._

 _"I don't believe you," she said._

 _"Would you like to try me? Just say the word," he threatened in a low voice._

 _She let out a stiff breath and swallowed as silence stretched between them. The air seemed to grow stiller as she made her decision. Slowly, her hand dropped from his grip on her wrist in surrender. When he turned and kept walking, the fight in her was gone. Her protests ended and she struggled no more._

And just like that, he had her.

Zuko knew exactly what she was thinking in those seconds it took her to give up. He could read every thought on her face so well it made him sick. He was injured, he was alone, and under Memnar's mercy. Katara was not going to leave him - it would go against everything in her nature to walk away from him like this. That foolish woman. Zuko could handle Memnar more or less on his own, but with her here that changed everything.

Katara had no idea what kind of position she just put him in. His goal was to get Memar out of the city and away from people. Alone.

It was a risk for Zuko, but one he was willing to take. So be it if he ran into more trouble, just as long as Memnar didn't kill or hurt anyone else. What was he supposed to do? The spirit held in his grip one of the people he absolutely did _not_ want near him like this.

Right now, Zuko rode entirely on the hope that Memnar would make good on his threat to her earlier and let her go once they were far away enough. However, that seemed highly unlikely at this point.

He already broke his word once before. Maybe there really was a reason the stories called him The Liar.

A stabbing pain shot through his chest and Memnar bit his lip. He looked down again at the long knife wound draining his energy, then back to the dark street. The distance to the next corner he intended to round seemed a lot further than it really was and far more daunting to get to. Zuko could feel a debate raging in the spirit's mind. Eventually, one side won, and he moved his gaze to the buildings nearby, inspecting each one.

He stepped out into the street, pulling Katara along with him. When he walked up to a door and pried at the handle, Katara finally broke the silence between them. "What are you doing?"

"Quiet."

When it would not budge, Memnar stepped back and, without warning, slammed the side of his body into the door. It burst open with a bang, and Katara rammed into his back as the two of them stumbled into the dark room. "Why did you do that?!"

He didn't answer and pulled her towards stairs on the far side of the room, then began climbing them. There were puddles everywhere and the air stunk of rotten wood.

Once up top, he dragged Katara through the mess on the ground till they approached another door. When he opened it, he found someone standing at the far side of the room, looking at him in fear. He was dirty and he appeared to be dressed in rags. A homeless man, no doubt.

Memnar glared at him stepped to the side, pulling Katara with him. "Get out," he ordered.

The man only hesitated for a moment as he looked at his and Katara's glowing eyes before quickly running out of the room. The spirit stayed put until the sound of the stranger's footsteps disappeared as he left the building.

"What-"

Katara didn't finish as Memnar hauled her to the side and threw her into the room. She stumbled a few steps forward then looked back at him, rubbing her now free wrist. He stepped in and shut the door behind him, then put his back against it and slid to the ground.

"Why are we here?" Katara and Zuko asked in unison.

"I'm tired," said Memnar as he sighed and leaned against the wood.

Katara looked around the dirty, cluttered room. "You want to rest here?"

"Do you have a problem with it?"

"Yes, I do."

"Deal with it. We're not leaving until morning."

"It _is_ morning," she mumbled. "Where are you planning to go?"

"Stop asking that question. I already told you I don't know."

Katara looked towards the only window in the room. He didn't need to know her well at all to know she was juggling ideas of escape.

"Don't try it," he growled. Though, he was confident every scenario she came up with was of her losing. A sigh of frustration from her confirmed it. She began pacing the room with Memnar watching her the whole time. However, after only a few steps, she stilled and reached up to grab her head. Appearing to grow dizzy, she eventually moved to the wall opposite of him and sat next to it.

 _'Let her leave,'_ said Zuko.

 _"Constantly saying that isn't going to change my mind, fool."_

He was slightly tempted to, though. She was a nuisance Memnar didn't want to deal with and if he wasn't already grumpy enough, her presence here was souring his mood even more. All he had to do was manage to stay awake long enough for Ruby to wake up. So long as it wasn't Katara in control, he wouldn't have to worry. He could sleep a little, then leave this place, never to return.

All of them sat in silence for some time, just barely able to see each other in the grey-blue light. The sounds of the storm growing more intense outside were all they could hear. Memnar fought with the exhaustion tugging at him while Katara constantly looked from him to the door he was keeping closed with his back.

With all the staring she was doing, and far from being in the mood for it, he was about to snap at her to tell her to stop, but a creak of the floorboards sounded and distracted him. It came from one of the dark corners of the room and pulled both their attention.

It was just the building settling in the humid air, but it suddenly reminded Zuko of that shadow they came across earlier. He hadn't felt it since they left all that chaos and he couldn't believe he forgot about it in the first place.

 _"Afraid of the dark?"_ Memnar asked when he felt Zuko's nervousness.

 _'No,'_ he said. _'That shadow earlier, what was it?'_

 _"What are you talking about?"_

 _'That thing back at the warehouse. It was behind us when we were brought in.'_

Still confused, Zuko offered up a memory to show him instead. The spirit loosely inspected it, but didn't understand what he was seeing. His reaction clearly showed he didn't know what it was either.

 _'Was it another spirit?'_

 _"Perhaps it's your imagination,"_ he huffed with a sarcastic edge. _"Cowardice causes humans to hallucinate, or so I'm told."_

Taking direct jabs at his pride was the quickest way to set Zuko off. Just like Memnar, Zuko was not in a state to take it. _'I wasn't imagining that,'_ he said through mentally gritted teeth. _'You can see it as well as I can.'_

 _"I see nothing but the musings of a fool,"_ Memnar bit. Uncaring of hiding his thoughts, Zuko could tell what was going on here. Memnar didn't care about that shadow in the least bit. He was in a foul mood and asserting dominance over Zuko seemed to make him feel better.

If he was smart, he'd end this conversation and step away. If he was smart, he wouldn't give the spirit the argument he wanted. Clearly, that wasn't going to happen.

 _'Why did you blame me for what happened?'_

Memnar eyed him in response to his aggressive tone.

 _'You said that everything was my fault when we were tied up in the warehouse. Why did you say that?'_

 _"I said no such thing."_

 _'Fine, you didn't say the words, but you made it very clear. For me being 'a fool', you sure seem to think I have a lot of power over what happens to you.'_

 _"Enough talk,"_ Memnar snapped, suddenly not liking where this was going.

Unwilling to accept another diversion, Zuko pressed, _'You were trying to kill me!'_

 _"Tch, kill you? Perhaps that's what I was doing. Perhaps that's what would have happened if it weren't for that blasted wall of yours."_ Memnar moved closer to the border of their minds in a threatening manner. Zuko tensed, but he did not cower back an inch.

 _'It was a little extreme to blame me for a mess you walked us into.'_

" _Insolence…"_ Memnar thought as he audibly sighed, disgruntled. His tone darkened. _"I am going to kill you before I leave this world."_

 _'No, you won't,'_ Zuko said defiantly.

Memnar hesitated. _"Hm, maybe not. That would be too generous, wouldn't it? I think I'll do something else to you. When I get through, when you don't expect it, when you're not fast enough to keep me out, you'll realize there are worse things than death."_

Zuko hesitated and steeled himself in his resolve to never let that happen. Outward, the odds were all to none in his favor. But Inward, Zuko had strong reason to believe the playing field was even. Though Zuko didn't have the strength to fight back for too long, he suspected Memnar didn't have the energy to continue an onslaught. If he did, he wouldn't be making these idle threats. He'd have done Zuko over in the beginning.

 _"You put too much faith in things you know nothing about,"_ he said in response to Zuko's conclusion.

 _'I think I know more than you want me to.'_ Memnar's spike of anger he could not hide let Zuko know that was very much the truth.

" _I am going to enjoy shattering that arrogance."_

Memnar hated him, and he let him know it. The knowledge did nothing to Zuko, who felt the same towards him. This spirit disgusted him and it wasn't just the fact that he was its prisoner, or that it used Zuko's body to do things he would never have otherwise. No, it was Memnar's very nature he couldn't stand.

He was so full of anger and rage. That's all he was. It was the most self-destructive thing a person could be, Zuko would know, but Memnar seemed to embrace every aspect of it _._ He was a miserable, hateful being.

 _"Such hypocritical words coming from you."_

Zuko wished he could roll his eyes in response. He must be blind or truly ignorant. There was very little the two of them shared in common. Zuko had never met someone as vile as Memnar, who had nothing in his being but animosity.

 _'There's nothing you don't hate, is there?'_

Memnar stared at him for a moment, then left him alone in that chamber of his mind. Zuko didn't like the fact that he was walking away and easily followed him. He was the one who wanted a fight, and now he was leaving. Zuko was about to taunt him even further but halted when the spirit looked to Katara and answered him.

 _"Nothing."_

Zuko had forgotten about Ruby until then and was a little shocked to hear him say that.

Katara was staring at him when he turned to look at her. When their eyes met, she glared before quickly looking away and fidgeting. Now Memnar was staring, and Zuko could tell Katara knew it. Like all the other times, the spirit was trying to see past her to Ruby.

Both their attention for a fight teetered off as Memnar sifted through what little memories he had of the spirit world, trying to compare a ghostly image of Ruby to Katara. His thoughts grew curious when noticed something about her. There was something between them, some strange air that the spirit vaguely recognized. Like when she touched him, though unpleasant, that was familiar too.

It was a foreign feeling, but distinctly Ruby.

Katara reached up and adjusted her thin parka, and Memnar's attention moved to her hands. When they trembled ever so slightly, she pulled them down. However, his eyes didn't follow. Without him really choosing to, they stayed on her chest. They were only there for a few seconds before his heart rate picked up a few beats; a startling reaction that caught the spirit off guard.

With her outfit sticking to her like glue, the curvature of her breasts was obvious. Memnar was further distracted when a drop of water slowly ran down her neck and into her shirt.

 _'Stop,'_ Zuko said, uncomfortable.

Memnar's attention snapped back and Zuko could swear he felt a twinge of embarrassment for the attention slip. The spirit looked away and scowled.

Memnar let his eyes wander like this when he was with Ruby last night; puzzled as he watched her every move. In a situation like that, both of them alone together, he could have easily done something to her. All he had to do was reach out, and he would have been met with little resistance, but he didn't. The spirit told him he wasn't interested, but his reactions right now were saying something different.

 _"Your reactions,"_ Memnar corrected, listening to Zuko's thoughts.

 _'You're the one who's staring at her.'_

Katara got to her feet and started pacing again. She eventually slowed and reached up to bend the water from her clothes, but nothing happened as she waved her hand. To Zuko's immediate surprise, she looked upset, but not as shocked as he expected her to be. Was this why she didn't fight back when Memnar dragged her here?

 _'She can't waterbend?'_ thought Zuko. Though, he shouldn't be surprised at this point. This fit right in line with all the other things that happened lately.

Not trying for a second time, Katara instead pulled her drenched coat off and hung it over a dusty chair. Completely soaked as well was that familiar thinner robe Zuko had seen so much of lately. She slipped off her long moccasins and tried to shake the water from them, leaving her legs bare.

Zuko couldn't stand that outfit she was wearing. It had become his own personally magnet lately.

It was only supposed to be his, so it was alarming to find his body reacting as if it had a mind of its own. Just one small glance at her and Memnar's attention slipped again. He watched her critically at first, scrutinizing her movements, but his eyes dropped when her arms moved and her skin caught the moonlight. They became hazily fixed as her hips swayed ever so slightly.

Suddenly very curious about her dark skin, his gaze slowly ran from her heel up to her thigh before clothing blocked his view. He thought about looking away, thinking that this was pointless, but those thoughts dissolved when he looked back up to her chest.

He wondered, for a moment, what she would look like if that blue clothing weren't covering her – to see if that bronze colored the rest of her.

 _'Enough already,'_ Zuko strained.

Blinking quickly, the spirit looked away and leaned his head against the door, banging it harder than he intended. Memnar didn't like what was going on with his body. It was fragile, weak – utterly pathetic in his opinion- and confusing with all the reactions it had at the strangest of times.

He especially hated the fact that it could distract his mind so easily. His steeled attention was rarely broken, and to have it tossed aside like dust in the wind in this body was irritating.

Ruby, Katara – whichever - seemed to cause it the most. When he pulled her close last night, pressed against him, it was difficult to focus on anything other than her smaller body, but sleep offered him relief. He wasn't close to dozing off right now, though.

As Memnar contemplated something that should have been blatantly obvious, Zuko stayed quiet and offered no insight into the situation. The fact that the spirit was toying with the idea in the first place made Zuko nervous.

Suddenly, a foreboding air settled around them, and Zuko felt like he could hardly breathe. As an extreme nervousness filled his chest, his mood grew more strained by the second. With both of them sharing the same body, it was hard to be affected by the other. Memnar couldn't get away from the skittish wreck Zuko was slowly turning into.

 _"What is wrong with you? Why are you so high strung?"_ he grumbled as Zuko's mood interrupted his thoughts.

He didn't answer and tried to retreat far back enough that Memnar couldn't hear him. Last night, it was difficult to watch Memnar touch Katara so easily no matter how hard Zuko resisted. Things could have turned very bad very quickly had he been even slightly more curious.

The same kind of curious he was right now.

It may be Katara instead of Ruby standing in front of them, but he had a feeling that didn't matter. The way he watched her, the way he let his mind slip – this was different than before.

He hoped Memnar would close his eyes and fall asleep soon, so that it would give Katara the chance to run as far away from him as she could. Most of all, he hoped Memnar's curiosity would remain fleeting and not turn into something else. Zuko did not know what to do if it did.

Agni forbid if he – if he _raped_ her. For him to be utterly helpless as he watched some stranger use his own body to do something like that was absolutely terrifying to Zuko. That would be a scar he'd never be able to heal from; something he'd never be able to live with. Especially if it was Katara-

She should not have come after him. Her bending was gone for reasons unknown, and she was completely at Memnar's mercy right now. This was terrible.

Annoyed that Zuko was hiding from him, Memnar turned back to Katara, briefly glancing at her hips. "How long has Ruby been asleep?"

"Asleep?" she asked, "A few hours now. Do you know why she is?"

"No."

She hesitated, then frowned. "My wrist is going to bruise because of you."

He matched the look on her face wordlessly. When he offered no response, they continued to stare each other down. If she was expecting an apology, she'd be waiting an eternity for one. "Does Zuko know what's going on? Can he hear me right now?"

He considered ignoring her, but out of a slight twinge of curiosity, he nodded.

"Zuko," she said his name lightly. "I'm sorry I slapped you."

It was the first time he was directly acknowledged since the start of this. Zuko would have enjoyed the feeling if not for the current state he was in.

"He's not the one you slapped."

She gave Memnar a dirty look again. "I'm not going to apologize to you. You were yelling at me."

"Hmph. You're lucky you're Ruby's host."

"Or what? You would have hurt me more? That didn't stop you when I first walked up to you."

He folded his arms and closed his eyes, not feeling the need to explain himself. She was lucky to be alive and speaking right now after sneaking up on him when he was ready to kill someone. Ruby was the only reason she was still breathing.

"How deep is that cut?" she asked.

"Why are you so obsessed with this injury?"

"Because you're not the only one who's in pain. I wasn't lying when I told you earlier; if it's not taken care of, it could get infected."

Memnar huffed, disinterested and uncaring. When she took a step towards him, he tensed up.

"Get any closer and I'll bruise your other wrist," he threatened, eyeing her approaching hand that would bring a pain of its own if it touched his skin.

She didn't stop, not seeming to care what he had to say. When she knelt next to him, Memnar was ready to do exactly what he said he would, but her proximity threw him. Her chest was eye level with him and he found it difficult to look away. Slight warmth from her body heat filled the cold air that was next to him and the very essence of it made him tense more.

Nothing to this degree happened when he was last with Ruby. Sure, these strange reactions were all the same, but managing it was far more difficult than it should be. What was going on?

Cautiously, and trying to hide her unease with being so close to him, Katara reached out for his tunic. She halted right above the wound and stared into his glowing eyes. He made no move to stop her and looked at her blankly. She reached back down, pinched a ripped end, and pulled. Memnar winced.

She examined the length of his wound and grew more nervous with each inch she covered. "This is bad. You need a healing session with a waterbender."

He looked to the side in contemplation. "This pest seems to think you can do it yourself."

"His name is Zuko," she snapped.

"All the same."

"I can't right now," she said, quietly. "I lost my bending."

She knew it had something to do with Ruby, but what she saw from Memnar earlier made her nervous. He had no problem with firebending. At the memory of the flames, Katara looked across his chest at the singed spots. There were a few open ends, but she couldn't find any burns on his skin.

"How were you able to bend blue flames?" she asked. "I've never seen Zuko do that before."

"There's a lot neither of you have seen or understand."

He lifted his fist a few inches into the air, opened it palm up, then gripped it hard. He and Ruby seemed to be fond of secrets, and her own spirit used that tone of voice just before falling silent.

"You don't get along with Zuko, do you?"

"And how would you possibly know that?"

"Because _I_ don't like you."

Memnar scoffed, "If only I had enough reason to care."

She opened her mouth to say something further, but her finger accidentally brushed across his skin. Memnar stiffened and his breath hitched. Thinking it was because of her, she pulled her hand back. "Did I hurt you?"

"No," he said quickly.

A bead of sweat ran down the side of his face and it was then Katara realized how ghostly pale it was. She reached up and put the back of her hand on his forehead. He was burning up, and it was definitely not okay. An infection should _not_ be setting in that quickly.

Memnar tensed again and his lips pressed into a thin line. His breath picked up for a few seconds, but then it slowly evened out; forcibly, it sounded like. Golden-red eyes looked into hers before traveling down to her collarbone. When he wouldn't look away, she leaned away uncomfortably.

"We need to get you to a waterbender at the palace."

He shook his head and pushed her hand off his forehead. "No."

"But-"

"Stop. Talking."

Katara frowned at him in response but stayed quiet. Instead of backing off, she continued to fuss over his wound, making it difficult for him to look away from her face. His eyes landed on the base of her neck again. He swallowed and avoided looking at her chest.

However, something caught his attention below her chest. Alarmed at what he was seeing, Zuko was too caught off guard to try and resist what Memnar did next. He reached his hand out and pressed the back of his fingers into her abdomen. Katara's jumped and quickly leaned even further away from him in surprise.

"What are you-"

Her words cut off as both of them looked at the blood staining his fingers. Katara widened her eyes and looked down to discover a large stain of blood on her robe. She jumped to her feet and touched it. After looking at the blood for a tense second, she started pressing everywhere near the stain looking for a wound. She never winced, though.

"Whose blood is that?" asked Memnar.

She was completely confused until a look of realization crossed her face.

"Not mine," her words stumbled.

 _'What? Then whose is it?'_ Zuko thought.

Katara stood deathly still for longer than she should have, staring at the blood on her. It looked like she wasn't breathing at first, but then her chest began to rise and fall a little too quickly.

"Hey," said Memnar, trying to get her attention.

She either didn't listen or didn't hear him and reached up to rub the spot just above her heart as if she were checking to make sure it was still beating. Suddenly, with a frantic look in her eye, she grabbed at her robe and attempted to ring out the darker color. It didn't help much, and when she realized that, she looked around the room. She spotted a bowl and went to pick it up in a near frenzy.

Just watching her was making Memnar agitated, and he stood up slowly. Katara was clearly unnerved and it was affecting Memnar in a way he didn't expect. Her panic was unsettling, and he didn't like it.

As the spirit considered the blood on his fingers, some dark emotion began to stir within him that Zuko didn't understand. He narrowed his eyes at Katara. When she snatched the bowl and darted for the window, Memnar was next to her in a flash.

With shaky hands, she grabbed the latch, but he reached over her and slammed his hand into it. Katara whipped around to face him, dropping the bowl. That same, unfamiliar look she had when she first found him was back. She was scared and looked like she saw something truly terrifying; the blood on her probably had something to do with it.

She was trembling, she was breathing hard, and suddenly terror-stricken. Though Zuko never experienced one to this degree before, he knew a panic attack when he saw one. His chest filling with worry, he turned to Memnar, who didn't seem to care that his intimidating was only making things worse.

 _'Memnar, back off and give her some space. She's having an anxiety attack.'_

 _"Why?"_ he asked, perturbed.

 _'I don't know!'_

"I'm just getting some water," she said quickly.

Ignoring her, his frown deepened. "You're hiding something."

"Move your hand-"

"Ruby would never just hand over control, not without a reason," he said as he glanced at the blood stain.

 _'You want to know this now?! Just leave her alone!'_

Katara ducked under his arm and stepped further into the room, grabbing her head. She didn't know what was going on. The walls felt like they were closing in on her and she could hardly calm down enough to ask why.

She had blood on her - from that man that died right in front of her. This wasn't the first time she saw this color, and it wouldn't be the last, so why was this happening to her? Why couldn't she calm her racing heart and out of control breathing for one second to look at this rationally?

The gaping hole in her chest that appeared when Ruby disappeared felt like it was spreading, eating away at the rest of her body. As if she wasn't frightened enough, that feeling threw Katara into even more of a panic. She had to get out of here. She had to get away from this!

She quickly headed for the door, but not two steps later, she lost her footing. Katara fell to the floorboards as invisible hands dragged her down and sapped her energy. Dizzy, she was barely aware of Memnar stepping in front of her and kneeling to her level.

A hand roughly grabbed the tip of her chin and forced her to look up. "Calm down," he said, sternly.

To her complete surprise, she did. A lot. Katara blinked at him as the fear dissipated as if it was being taken from her by him. Clarity that never should have left her in the first place came back. However, fear returned the very moment Memnar pulled his hand back and his touch left her skin. Feeling panic swell in her again, her hand darted to his and grabbed it tightly.

Memnar tried to jerk back, but Katara refused to let him go. The fear left, and Katara stared at their clasp dumbfounded.

"What's happening?" she whispered.

Memnar looked from her hand to her eyes. "Ruby is waking up."

No, not yet. She dreaded the feeling of having everything taken away from her again, to be shoved back into her mind. She wanted to know what happened to Ruby, but she certainly did not want her back. They were out here lost, alone and without protection. It couldn't be now!

Memnar tried to pull his hand from hers. Her eyes widened at the feeling and she gripped it harder.

"No, don't," she pleaded.

He frowned uncomfortably and his jaw tightened, but he didn't pull back. The room started to spin and she leaned forward unintentionally. Memnar grabbed her shoulder and slowly pushed her the other direction until she was lying down on her back.

She immediately resisted and tried to sit up.

"You're going to fall over if you try that," he said. "Lie down before you hurt yourself."

His words lacked warmth and it made her wonder why he cared in the first place. She did as he said, but it wasn't because he ordered her to, it was because she barely had the strength to move. Her vision was slowly clouding over and Katara reached up weakly to press a hand just above her eye.

"I want an answer," said Memnar as he stared down at her.

"What?" she asked nearly breathless.

"The secret you're keeping."

Katara sighed lightly. "I don't have one."

"I know something happened. Tell me why you have blood on your clothes."

She swallowed hard. "Someone died. Right in front of us."

"That's why she left?"

"Maybe. I don't know."

He opened his mouth to say something, but looked down to their gripped hands and halted. The uncomfortable look on his face faded momentarily and changed to confusion as his eyes slowly ran from their clasped hands to her collarbone again. "Strange…" he muttered.

He brought his hand up, reaching for her neck. She tensed. "What are you doing?"

Her small fight couldn't ward him off and warm fingertips pressed against her skin. Afraid, she expected him to wrap his hand around her the way he did when she found him, but there was no aggression in his touch. His hand ghosted down to the hollow of her neck, and Katara could only stare at Zuko's scar.

"What do you feel?" he asked.

"Nervous," she said as she tried to move his hand. "Stop."

"You don't feel pain when I touch you?"

"No."

Memnar finally leaned back. He stopped staring at her and lifted the hand he just had on her to inspect it.

For a few minutes, the fatigue worsened until she was feeling extreme vertigo. She closed her eyes and knew she was about to pass out. At this point, she was ready to let it happen. She would have let go if Memnar didn't suddenly shift next to her, and body heat fell onto her from above.

She opened her eyes and her breath froze when she saw what he was doing. He leaned close to her until his loose hair brushed against the crook of her neck. Momentarily stunned, Katara couldn't move. There was a tension-filled hesitation from him before his lips lightly pressed against her skin.

Katara's heart started beating wildly as her eyes widened at the sensation.

He very slowly moved down to the base of her neck, brushing his lips against her. Though shocked at what he was doing, the sensation made her gasp and shudder slightly, igniting her face in a furious blush. Memnar hesitated just above her collarbone and Katara felt hot breath as he sighed.

Katara reached up and gripped his tunic to push him away, but her arms were so weak that it could have easily seemed like she were trying to pull him closer.

"Ngh! Zuko!" she said weakly to make him stop. But it wasn't Zuko, she knew that. She knew it wasn't him doing this!

Memnar pulled away from her, but not far enough. He looked her over, his eyes completely glazed as an emotion Katara had never seen in them burned. It was raw desire. Not seeming to notice the shock in her own, he leaned back in and pressed his lips against her neck again, this time, slowly moving upward.

He moved his free hand over her and placed it at her side, pressing his body weight into her the further up he went. The room was spinning wildly, and her labored breathing only worsened it. When his black hair caressed her cheek as his lips moved to her jaw, she tried to turn away from him. However, she hesitated when his glowing eyes squinted open to look at her.

Then, his lips met hers.

For a moment, only a small moment, Katara's thoughts emptied completely. Something close to a shock shot through her. She didn't have the will to move as something she imagined in her daydreams, something Zuko almost did her, happened right before her eyes.

His lips were soft…so much softer than she imagined, and though it was a violent spirit doing it, he was slow and careful. He pressed his weight even more onto her until the heat mixed and the sensation was like a hypnotic drug.

The amount of guilt she felt for enjoying this when she should be disgusted crushed her.

Whatever small amount of energy she had disappeared. Her eyes closed even more, and then it was over. Katara was pulled back into the darkness, feeling everything her body was doing, and yet controlling none of it.

Zuko's warm lips stopped and he pulled back slightly. Katara's once heavy eyes fluttered open half-lidded. Heat and clouded desire still ran through her and neither Katara or the spirit could manage a word as they stared up at Memnar – at Zuko…

"Ruby," he acknowledged in a whisper.

She didn't say anything, she _couldn't_ say anything right now, but it wouldn't have mattered. Memnar leaned in again and swept her up in another slow kiss.

* * *

A/N: I drew the scene above and it's hanging out over at DeviantArt. Check it out if you're interested. So, this is actually the first kiss scene I've fully written and published. I know the original post date was, like, six months ago, but was it okay?

It's so bittersweet. He's taken Zuko's first kiss with Katara away from him. It doesn't end at the break of their lips, though. Memnar's greed is a nasty thing.


	22. Your Touch Unseen

A/N: Responses:

airiustide: Sorry for the mess lol Thank you for the review! EternalFire1984: Only because you said please. ;) thatallbiatch: Awe, thank you! Messy/multilayered for sure. Not knowing what's going to happen next is good! I'm trying to keep everyone in the dark and guessing plot-wise for now. There's still some character development that needs to happen haha. nevertalk: Merci Beaucoup~

sylah808: Glad you liked it! :) Rivierra: Thank you! Cliffhangers will get worse… waking-up-with-happiness: You said please 7 times. Who am I to resist? Lol InItToWinIt: Aaaah I can't confirm or deny anything…but I'll say you will probably be more confused soon. 25Carin: Oh! Post them! I will make an exception and read some more Zutara! Don't let fear stop you. This site is the perfect place to practice with writing.

Anon: Glad you liked the kiss haha. TinyArtist: He's an arrogant spirit who takes whatever he wants, that's why. Oops, I've said too much… VengefulGeyzer: Definitely not thinking he's having a good night lol. LovinZuko: Original you say? Now that I think about it, I've never searched far enough to see if there was a similar plot (sprits) with these two. Hm, maybe I should go look. Shen's not done making appearances haha.

All Guests: Thank you for the reviews guys! :D

Disclaimer: No own, no sue.

* * *

 _Chapter 22_

 **Your Touch Unseen**

…

A kiss…something so simple. It was a touch that could mean nothing at all, or everything and then some. When was the last time Zuko had a meaningful kiss? Mai, perhaps? Katara…?

 _'No, not Katara,'_ he quickly told himself. If his eyes were his to control, he'd be shutting them tight and shaking his head, trying to forget.

But he would never forget. Not that memory.

He remembered the last kiss Mai gave him before she left. Her lips had a plea in them that Zuko did not notice until it was too late. They were trying to find the reason she fell in love with him in the first place, and telling him goodbye at the same time. Maybe she was waiting for a fire to light between them; like the one that existed in their younger years. But it was already dead. Put out by his distance and her wall she built between them.

It was heart-wrenching and something he didn't like to remember, but at least he felt something with it. After that, his kisses had no meaning. The only thing he used them for was to woo the few mistresses he had. He ravished them with his lips as they clung to him for more. It was for nothing but lust. It was nothing but a tool.

Because of that, he forgot what a kiss could do to someone.

Memnar was awake after only a few hours of lying down. His eyes never felt so heavy, and he was tired enough he could fall asleep upright. The spirit abandoned the idea of rest and was instead staring down at Katara, but it's Ruby who's stirring in her sleep. He was transfixed by her; more so than he was before last night.

There wasn't really a word to describe what Zuko was feeling. Violated, horrified, numb, confused – some lovechild of it all. But the one thing that trumped all the rest was the overwhelming sense of guilt. Katara called _his_ name when she begged him to stop. What happened was forced on both of them, but he couldn't stop thinking that he could have done more. He should have fought harder…and not given up near the end.

Ruby's calm face contorted and she shifted uncomfortably. The last little while, she starting moving and mumbling here and there. She was having a bad dream and her constant stirring lead Zuko to believe it was getting worse.

His eyes moved from her face down to her neck. They stopped just above her chest and he watched her breath in and out.

Zuko tried to turn his attention away when Memnar moved to hover over her, and tensed when the spirit leaned in until his lips were inches from her neck. Careful not to touch her yet, he moved down to a spot just above her heart.

An intoxicating sensation filled his senses as he breathed in and out. It broke Zuko's resistance; it was impossible to keep it up in the middle of _this._

As he took in the air next to her skin, he felt like he had downed a whole bottle of wine and then some. It was unnatural and very, very distracting. Losing his sense of focus, Zuko instead tried to wait it out. Luckily, Memnar didn't spend too much time hovering as the feeling got to him as much as it did Zuko.

He moved back to stare down at her again, his hand lightly gripping hers as he did so. He didn't flinch away like he did the night before when he felt the intense jolts as their skin touched. Memnar still didn't fully understand the shocks, but he could control them more or less now. If he focused hard enough, the pain left and was slowly replaced by a strange, hypnotic feeling.

The closer he got to her heart, the stronger it became. Memnar couldn't remember the spirit world very well, and the bits that randomly came to him made little sense, but what he felt when touching Ruby – the pain and the strange pleasure – it was incredibly familiar.

Maybe it was always like this between them back in the spirit world, maybe not. Either way, in this world, he could become addicted to it, and, at this rate, pull Zuko along with him.

Ruby lightly moaned in her sleep, still entrapped by the nightmare. When Memnar let go of her hand, her glowing blue eyes few open. She quickly sat up with a start and looked around frantically until she spotted Memnar sitting next to her.

"Ruby."

She was quiet for a long moment, and reached up to run a hand over her face. "You're here," she sighed.

"Did you expect me to leave?"

She didn't say anything and blinked up at him. When she brought her hand back down to her side, he had to fight the urge to reach out and touch it again, or her in general. He was craving more of that odd sensation…

His gaze slowly moved to her parted lips. Last night, he had zero intention of kissing her. The original plan was to merely get closer to her to confirm something he suspected. When he was caught off guard by the heat and desire that filled him, his lips traveled upward before he realized it. He wasn't going to complain about the attention slip, though.

This world and body were still as pathetic as he first thought, but he'd admit it had its merits. Skin, for one, was something he suddenly found rather fascinating, and what touching her lips could do to him.

The only reason he wasn't indulging himself right now was that he found the sensation to be a little too intense. In the midst of their kiss, Memnar's wall broke down. There was no boundary between him and Zuko, and it left him bare and a little too exposed.

The feeling, Memnar decided, was indeed too intense. As much as he wanted more, he was far more concerned with being caught with his defenses down by Zuko.

"I thought..." she trailed off as she shook her head. "I thought you were just a dream last night."

"We don't dream."

"I do, sometimes." When she saw his incredulous look, she added, "Here, I mean."

"Were you dreaming before you woke?"

Her brow knit together in confusion before looking away and shaking her head again. "It wasn't me."

While she stared off, Memnar suddenly grew impatient for an answer he couldn't get out of Katara. "Why did you leave?"

She was completely still for a moment, then reached for her robe. Her eyes moved down to the mostly dried, now brown-colored blood stain. Her fingertips did not touch it, almost like she was nervous to do so.

"I…was afraid."

He didn't question her and believed her words fully. Frightened into hiding because she watched a mortal die. Ruby _would_ be one to react like that here.

"Hm."

"I don't remember finding you."

"Your human did. I half expected her to be awake instead of you."

"Katara was awake?" she asked, very surprised.

"Yes." He narrowed his eyes. "You should be more careful."

Ruby looked lost in thought for a moment before her eyes dropped down to his lips, and her cheeks reddened. For some reason, just the thought of knowing it was him she was getting flustered over instantly had his blood running a little hotter. Feeling his heart flutter, he wrestled with the sudden desire to get close to her again.

It took only five seconds for him to cave in.

' _Wait, don't,'_ said Zuko as Memnar leaned closer to her. Though, his protest was absolutely pathetic, mirroring his current somber state of mind.

Ruby tensed, but didn't try to get away from him. When his lips were once again only inches from her neck, she stopped breathing. Closing his eyes, he inhaled again and found the trance-like feeling was so much more satisfying now that she was awake.

"You're different," he said in a low, raspy voice.

"Different?" she whispered.

"From what you were before last night."

"I don't know what you mean by that."

Was he really the only one affected by the charged air between them? Memnar couldn't help but feel it was a little unfair…

"What is this?" he asked himself, too quiet for her to hear. His focus was nearly broken at that point, Zuko's too, and he decided to give in a little before he slipped too far. Ruby sucked in a breath as he kissed her neck slowly.

When he moved back, she was blushing furiously.

To Zuko's relief, Memnar shook his head and decided to move away from dangerous thoughts.

Ruby fidgeted under his stare. "How long did we sleep?" she asked.

"Not long. It's still morning."

Ruby rubbed her eyes. "I'm so tired."

Memnar shifted to stand up, but as he moved, he saw a glint of light from between the floor boards. Curious, he looked down to inspect it and saw what looked to be metal beneath it. Noticing that particular floorboard had been previously tampered with, he lifted it.

Zuko was legitimately shocked with what lay beneath. There was a pile of gold chips spilling out of a small bag, and not just any normal chips. They were solid gold coins that only the highest of nobility possessed. Anyone could buy anything with them and it blew him away something like this was stashed below a floorboard in an abandoned building.

Memnar was disinterested until he heard that last thought from Zuko. He reached down and picked up a small handful, inspecting them.

"What's that?" asked Ruby.

"Expensive rock," Memnar drawled.

He grabbed the small pouch and secured the coins before slipping the bag into his pocket, leaving Zuko to wonder what use a spirit could possibly have for gold. He was about to turn away from the hole in the floor, but realized the gold was not alone in its hiding place. There were small, round vials of clouded liquid stashed underneath.

Suddenly, Zuko understood what the gold was for. It was opium, and a lot of it. This was part of the reason he wanted that gang of thugs out of his city. He thought about warning Memnar against touching it, let alone tasting it, but doing that would likely make him down it out of spite. He had no interest in not being in control _and_ walking through the streets high.

Luckily, Memnar didn't give it a second thought and stood up. After glancing towards the rain-covered window, he pulled his hood over and covered the lower part of his face in cloth. He stepped towards the door and Ruby quickly jumped to her feet. "Where are you going?"

"I am leaving this city."

"Wait." She reached out to him.

"What is it?"

"I want to come with you."

Zuko knew she was going to say that, but it did nothing to lessen the nervousness that filled him. The implications of what it meant if they continued to be alone nearly sent Zuko up in arms towards the spirit.

Memnar eyed her over his shoulder for a moment as she looked at him expectantly. Before now, he would not have cared if she stayed or followed him. Ruby was always with him, and was going to continue to be with him when they went back to the spirit world. Sticking together here didn't make much sense.

However, that troublesome air coming from her made him feel an added attachment to her he was not used to.

"Fine." Memnar stilled, waiting, and Ruby took the hint. She grabbed her moccasins and fastened them back on. While she was doing that, Memnar walked over to the still-drenched coat she was wearing last night and pulled the shawl from it.

"Put this on," he said as he handed it to her.

"Why?"

"I don't want them to see your face."

She took it and did as he said. Once on, he pulled over the hood until she was covered. He stepped back to check her appearance and decided it was good enough, then turned towards the door.

"Stay close to me."

* * *

The streets were packed despite the weather, and there were far more soldiers out patrolling than Zuko expected. Memnar's calm mood brought on by Ruby's presence was diminishing into paranoia the more armor-clad groups they hid from, and he sunk back into his typical, unhappy, annoyed self.

Despite the constant glances over his shoulder to check on Ruby, she hardly noticed him. She was too distracted with the occasion group of glowing eyes passing them. They'd come across a few spirits who made eye contact with either him or Ruby and jumped back at the sight of them. All others were too distracted with disaster cleanup to pay attention to the rather famous people passing by them.

The city looked war-torn when Zuko first woke up on that hilltop, but, now in the midst of it, it looked even worse. The streets were littered with debris and there were a few large piles of rubble they passed that used to be businesses before they burned down. Most of the time, he saw people digging through the blackened piles for a scrap of what used to be there.

For Zuko, those sights served as an ominous reminder of the encounter with the gang.

Memnar reached up and rubbed the area just below his wound while gritting his teeth. It was getting to him again, and the pain was getting worse too. The slightest shift of his chest made it feel like that knife was digging into his skin again.

The small footsteps next to him ceased.

He turned to see Ruby standing still and staring into the distance at the tops of buildings. In her distraction, her shawl slipped down her hair, revealing her face. At the same time, Memnar saw another group of soldiers heading their way.

He quickly grabbed her arm and dragged her behind a shop stall before they had a chance to see her. "What are you doing?" he snapped.

"I want to see the ocean."

He narrowed his eyes. "What?"

"It's," she started as she looked around, "that way."

"That's not the way we're headed."

"It's not that far, I don't think. Katara told me-"

"We are not going to the ocean," he interrupted.

Ruby's mouth hung open as she stared at him in surprise at his tone.

"I said we're leaving this city." He glanced to the street as the soldiers disappeared from sight. "No more stopping."

After pulling her hood back over, he stepped back out into the street, dragging her behind him. He didn't mean to be so rough, and when she put her hand over the one that was clamped around her arm, he let go immediately. She followed close to him, but with a frown on her face. Not two minutes later, it was Memnar who stopped them again.

He looked from building to building and the area around them in general, then, with a cold realization, knew he was lost. He thought he was following the information Zuko gave him, but what he was looking at didn't seem right at all.

Zuko kept quiet up until then for a reason, and was disappointed that Memnar finally figured out he was going the wrong way. The map he gave him was a way out, but that was when they were in a different area. Memnar audibly growled.

" _You knew this wasn't the path out?"_

' _Yes.'_

His knuckles whitened as he raged, _"Show me."_

' _I'm not giving you anything. Not unless we make a deal.'_

" _I am not making any more deals with you. Show me the way out!"_

Zuko could see his red eyes boring into him, but he absolutely refused to back down. He'd let Memnar burn down another building before giving him any help at all unless his deal was final. Though, he couldn't help but notice the familiarity of this situation. The last time he made an agreement with the spirit, it did _not_ turn out well.

' _There's something I want. Do it, and I'll show you how to get as far away from the capital as you want to go.'_ Before Memnar could shoot him down, Zuko pressed further, _'I'm offering to give you exactly what you want!'_

Suddenly, a hand slipped into his. Memnar looked down with a scowl to see Ruby clasping onto him. Deepening his glare, he ripped his hand from hers and stormed forward. Zuko could see at the corner of his eye that she was stunned again by his behavior, but started following him with her head hung lower than before.

" _And what is it you want this time? Not to drive a knife into someone's chest?"_ he scorned.

' _You probably would anyway if that was what I wanted,'_ Zuko taunted _, 'But that's not it.'_

" _Do tell, then. I'm running out of patience."_

' _Leave Ruby.'_

There was very little that could have surprised Memnar at that moment, and that request was by far not what he expected to hear. _"What are you talking about?"_

' _Walk away from her. Leave the city without her. Go alone.'_

 _"You mean to say if I left her here and now you would give me that map? Just like that?"_

' _Did I stutter?'_

" _Why?"_ he asked, suspiciously. _"What's your reasoning?"_

' _It doesn't matter.'_

Memnar decided right then that it did.

It infuriated Zuko, knowing that not a half hour ago he was debating whether or not it was worth bringing her in the first place. Of course Memnar had to do this! The spirit stopped again and turned to look at Ruby, who was now keeping her distance a few steps from him.

Zuko could feel the cogs working in his mind as he tried to make sense of Zuko's request. He only grew more confused by the second. Ruby looked away from him and towards the direction she said the ocean was in. Suddenly, Memnar's debate ended as he stared at her, but he wasn't looking at Ruby anymore.

He was looking at Katara.

With his unexpected shift of mind, Zuko felt his anger halt. He couldn't hear what Memnar was thinking at that moment _. "It has to do with her, doesn't it?"_ asked the spirit.

' _I said the reason doesn't matter.'_

" _Oh, but it does. I'd say you're afraid of her getting hurt or lost, but that's not it…"_ he trailed off.

' _Will you make the deal or not?'_ Zuko asked, trying to distract him. _'Give me an answer!'_

Memnar was thoroughly pissed after getting the commanding tone of Zuko's voice. Zuko regretted his words, knowing better than to act like that with so much at stake. It was a slim chance Memnar would listen to him now.

Before the spirit could slam him with a threat, Ruby walked back up to him and slipped her hand into his again. "I know you want to leave," she said, "but I think it's really close. You might like it. It wouldn't take more than a moment-"

The damned ocean again? He was already high-strung with everything going on and her pestering to go see some water drove him even further over the edge. Once again, he forcefully pulled his hand from hers and glared. "Then go! Run down and play in the water if you want!" he yelled, drawing looks from people near them. "I don't care what you do! Just stay out of my way!"

She stumbled away from him, completely wide-eyed, and looked legitimately afraid of what he might do next. Shocked at Memnar's hostility towards her, Zuko couldn't help the momentary twinge of pity for her after seeing the hurt on her face.

Memnar didn't waste another second on her and quickly turned to start walking in the other direction, still reeling in anger. In what felt like a blow to Zuko's face, the spirit refused the deal a second later. He didn't know where he was going, but he was going to get out one way or another and _no one_ was going to stop him. Before he turned onto a new street, he briefly glanced over his shoulder at Ruby, but the spot she was standing in was empty.

She was gone.

It made him angrier, but he turned forward with a growl and picked up his pace; not feeling the slightest of need to go and find her.

* * *

There was a knot of frustration welling in Katara's throat as Ruby walked aimlessly through the street. Her shawl slipped from her hair a while ago, but it didn't help the soldiers she passed recognize her. Most were too busy avoiding the bi-polar storm that decided to shower the area again, leaving Katara soaked _again_.

Ruby was just…hovering in a cloud of numbness and was barely receptive to anything. The feeling somewhat baffled Katara. Memnar may have been a hostile jerk to her, but from what Katara had been able to observe, that was nothing new. Yet, Ruby acted like it was.

' _Ruby?'_ Katara asked, and was pleased to find the spirit listening. _'We're soaking wet. You don't have to be out here in the storm. There's shelter by the sides of the roads.'_

Ruby looked between the various stands that had a cover over them and the small dry spots beneath them. She shivered when the wind blew past her and suddenly longed for dry clothes and a bed to sleep in.

' _We shouldn't be out here,_ ' said Katara, impatiently.

" _I don't know where to go."_

' _You could always go back to the palace.'_

 _"Without Memnar?"_ she worried.

 _'Well, no_. _He should go back, too.'_

" _He…I don't think he'll want to."_

 _'If you tell the soldiers,'_ she pressed _, 'they'll bring him back with you. It will get us all out of this rain.'_

Ruby conjured up a memory of the Royal Guard and the faces that belonged to the ones that nearly bruised her arm yesterday. She almost shivered remembering the rough treatment she got from them. Going to the palace was the last thing she wanted to do. " _I don't want to."_

Katara was not in a forgiving mood. After all that happened, she was struggling to keep her composure and hearing Ruby's decision to ignore her advice officially sapped what tolerance for the spirit she had left.

She gave up with trying to talk to Ruby, too frustrated to say anything else. Ruby could feel Katara's anger towards her very clearly and her face dropped even more. Drifting away from Katara, she lowered her head and continued on.

Feeling that Ruby was hurt by her now, too, Katara mentally huffed. She was back to being consumed with the thought of wishing the spirit would disappear and go back to where she came from. Or, at the least, pass out and give her back control. Then, she could actually do something about this massive mess they were in!

As she stewed over their situation, a heavy feeling of loneliness settled over Ruby as she walked through the streets for a time. She kept quiet and barely paid attention to where she was going. All she could focus on was Memnar's presence getting further away. She wanted so badly to turn around and go to him, but was certain he'd send her away again.

Ruby stopped when something blocked her path. It was a group of people, all with glowing eyes, walking towards her. One man halted mid-step and when Ruby looked up at him, she was met with glowing brown eyes slowly narrowing.

Thus far, other spirits rarely made prolonged eye contact with her. Katara didn't know what was different about this one, but he wasn't looking away nervously like most did when they saw Ruby.

With a frown, he raised his chin a little higher in the air, giving her a hostile glare. Unlike Katara, who was taken aback by it, Ruby didn't seem to be surprised at all. The spirit then looked past her in the direction he was originally intending to go and stepped forward. He approached her quickly and instead of walking around her, he intentionally bumped into her shoulder.

Ruby was knocked to the ground and landed in a muddy puddle. The mean spirit did not give her a second glance as he disappeared behind her with the others following him.

 _'I can't believe he just did that! What was his problem?!'_ Katara yelled, appalled. _'Ugh! Now we're covered in mud! I really thought there were more good spirits than bad, but apparently–'_

Katara stopped ranting when she realized Ruby was still sitting in the puddle, unmoving. A strand of hair slipped in front of her face to block her glazed over eyes. She was shocked when Ruby thought for a moment that she should just stay there at this point. Worried, Katara turned to her _. 'Hey, Ruby.'_

Ruby looked inward at her, and Katara could feel her sadness. It nearly flipped Katara's mood to feel her so downcast and to know that it wasn't just the people that passed her that caused it. After all, she was part of the reason Ruby felt she deserved to stay in the mud. Katara mentally swallowed and suddenly felt awful for being so rude.

A shadow cast over her that was not from the clouds above. Ruby looked up to see a young man holding a box and an umbrella staring down at her wide-eyed. He blinked at her a few times before reaching his hand out.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

Ruby didn't immediately take his offer at first, but when she saw the genuine concern on the stranger's face, she reached out and placed her hand in his. He pulled her up from the muddy puddle and briefly took in her soaked appearance. "Are you lost?"

Ruby didn't give him and answer and looked around the rainy street.

"It's okay if you are. I've met a lot who are," he said. "What's your name?"

No answer again.

"Oh…that's okay. You don't have to say anything." He gave her a warm smile that Ruby found oddly comforting. "If you're lost, I can help you."

He reached out his hand again and offered it to her. Without much thought, Ruby lifted her own.

' _Wait, Ruby. We don't know who he is.'_

"Only if you want it, of course. It's your choice," the young man said encouragingly.

Ruby looked at his soft eyes in hesitation before lightly grabbing onto him.

* * *

The place the young man led them to was familiar. It was the first street Katara walked through when she first arrived in the capital over a month ago. It was just as busy, too. Though, this time, none of the people were out trading. Almost all the stalls were cluttered or looted.

Kouen, he said his name was, looked back at Ruby with another reassuring smile. He made sure she was okay nearly every step they'd taken to get where they were. Katara was still suspicious of him. She couldn't tell where he was leading her to, and Ruby was too distracted to ask.

However, she was starting to warm up to Kouen the longer the story he was telling them went on.

He told Ruby she wasn't the first one he found wandering the streets and that there were a lot of lost spirits with no shelter and no one to help them. He spent much of his time the last three days walking around and finding people in need. The look in his eye and the tone of conviction in his voice reminded Katara of herself.

She knew that if the roles were reversed and she wasn't possessed, she would probably be doing the same thing the young man claimed to be – taking in lost spirits on the streets and giving them shelter.

"Here we are," he said as he stopped in front of a building.

Katara was shocked when she recognized the place they were at. She'd been there before, at least momentarily, until she got kicked out. It was the restaurant she had that unpleasant experience at when her and her tribesman visited the trading district.

"Kouen, I told you not to go out alone again," said a familiar older woman as she walked up to them.

"I know. I'm sorry, but I found another one. She's lost and I couldn't just leave her there," he said as he gestured towards Ruby.

When the woman's eyes met Katara's, her brow raised in surprise, obviously recognizing her. Kouen looked between them when the staring lasted a few more seconds than normal. Katara had no idea what she was thinking, and hoped she wouldn't immediately order him to send her away.

"Mom?" said Kouen.

The woman blinked and a moment later her face softened. "Bring her in. We're running out of room, but we can always make more."

With one last glance at Katara, she went inside. Kouen smiled at Ruby before urging her to follow. The restaurant was packed, but not with patrons. There were people sitting in groups, huddled in blankets; some sleeping, some eating a small meal. Some without glowing eyes were walking around checking on each person, making sure they were taken care of.

Katara's heart warmed at the sight of it all.

Kouen led Ruby past the crowded area and into a room at the end of a hallway. It looked to be a storage area with various boxes, crates and other things scattered about. He finally let go of her hand, went to one of the boxes, and dug through its contents.

"We were given a few crates of clothes from the tailor down the street. He said to hand them out to anyone in need." He pulled out a red outfit and turned to Ruby. "I think it might be a little small, but this should work. I'm sure you don't want to stay in those clothes."

Ruby looked down at her dirtied appearance, then took the clothes when he handed them to her. Once again, Katara was touched by his kindness.

"Change into that and come out to the foyer when you're done. I'll make a spot by one of the fires, and get you some food. I'll be waiting out there to show you around, so don't worry."

"Thank you," Ruby said softly.

His cheeks reddened a little before he smiled at her again. He stared at her for a moment longer then left the room, closing the door behind him. With help from Katara, she changed out of her dirty outfit and used one of the towels lying around to wipe away the mud that caked her legs. Once she was dressed in typical Fire Nation summer attire; Ruby didn't immediately head for the door. Instead, she walked over to the window and opened it up.

' _What are you doing?'_ asked Katara.

Ruby sat down on a crate next to the window ledge and stared off into a certain direction. She could still sense Memnar moving and sighed at the thought of their separation.

For the first time that day, time finally seemed to slow into a more comfortable pace. It would have been a welcome change for Katara, but with her thoughts more at ease and now filled with worry about where Memnar was taking Zuko, something came to mind that she'd been avoiding all day.

Ruby absentmindedly touched her cheeks when she felt them fill with heat, and Katara immediately tried to divert her attention. She didn't want to think about it. She didn't want to recall what Memnar did. She desperately did not want to remember his touches or Zuko's face in the midst of it all.

His eyes. His lips. The way he looked absolutely consumed with desire as he touched her…

' _No,'_ Katara mentally pleaded with her subconscious. She tried to chase away the memory. It needed to leave before she let the confusion get to her again. Though, it was so much easier said than done. No matter which way she picked it apart, she couldn't quite bring herself to disassociate someone she cared about with the stranger that started it all.

A spirit stole a kiss from her - one she did not _want_ to give.

It wasn't Zuko who kissed her, and that was that.

That's what she tried to tell herself, at least.

Ruby, now that she'd listened to enough of Katara's thoughts, was remembering it fully. Her hand moved from her cheek to her lips at the thought of his pressed again them. Her embarrassment towards the whole thing was entirely Katara's doing. If Ruby wasn't sharing the same body, not having her emotions influence her, she might be reacting differently.

Ruby's curiosity was soon replaced with sadness the more she thought of that scarred face. Once again, Katara was feeling bad for her. Except for the people they just met, everyone had been unkind to Ruby, herself included. As spiteful as she felt with everything, her guilt started to outweigh it.

' _Ruby?'_

The spirit heard her and looked inward to Katara.

' _I'm sorry I got upset with you earlier. I shouldn't have been so rude.'_

" _You're apologizing?"_

' _Yes.'_

" _Why?"_

Katara hesitated, confused. _'Because it was mean to get upset with you like that.'_

Just as Katara wondered if she was going to accept her apology, Ruby smiled lightly. _"You are…kind, Katara."_

She certainly didn't feel that way. Except for the few times she and Ruby had a pleasant conversation, Katara was passively hostile towards her. All because of this invasion - something Ruby had no control over.

" _But you really are,"_ Ruby affirmed. _"All the others hated me…you are the first who does not."_

Given the situation, it made sense why others would hate her, but Katara really didn't feel like Ruby was a bad person. Mentally biting her lip, Katara asked, ' _Did you know that spirit earlier? The one that pushed us over?'_

" _No. I've never met him before."_

' _It looked like he knew who you were.'_

" _He did, but,"_ Ruby sighed, _"he is one of many. I am used to it."_

 _'Used to it? Others treat you like that?'_

" _Yes."_ Ruby toyed with a leaf of a plant on the window sill. " _Except Memnar. He's never yelled at me before."_

Katara didn't know what to say in response. Memnar seemed the type to yell at anyone for any reason. It was hard for her to believe that was the first time he ever snapped at Ruby.

" _It was, though,"_ said Ruby, listening to her thoughts. _"The way we communicate in the spirit world is very different than we do here."_

" _How so?"_

She tapped her finger in contemplation for a moment. _"Like you and I, we are used to feeling what the other is thinking without using words. In this world, words are necessary. It is much harder to convey our thoughts and easier to lie here. You can hide your feelings from anyone, and they can hide them from you with just a couple of words. In the Spirit World, your soul is free. It is the most wonderful of gifts there, and the most painful of burdens here."_

Ruby was always so…wistful. She always acted so childlike and barely aware of what was going on around them. To hear such deep words from her took Katara by surprise. She couldn't help but wonder, for a moment, what life must be like where Ruby was from.

No lies, no secrets, and a freed soul?

" _Memnar clings so desperately to lies, and here, they are the truth."_

Katara felt her chest sink in again as Ruby's mood saddened even more. She felt bad for her but wasn't quite sure what to say. However, in her silence, something occurred to Katara that she hadn't noticed up until that point.

In the few times that Ruby felt down, Katara always hesitated. If it were any other person standing in front of her like this, telling her these things, she'd offer comfort any way she could. It may not be like any other encounter he had before, but Ruby was still another person.

' _It's not the truth,'_ said Katara.

Ruby looked at her skeptically.

' _They're lies here, like you said; only here. I think-'_ Katara hesitated as she tried to piece her thoughts together. _'I think you're forgetting that. You remember him in the spirit world, right?'_

" _Yes."_

' _Then that's who he is.'_

The advice sounded a little awkward, but she could feel Ruby's spirits lighten up. Katara didn't like Memnar, but after hearing Ruby and her own advice, she stopped to think about him in a different way for a moment.

If the stories were true, he was bad through and through, but he changed when he met Ruby. If Ruby loved him, what kind of person did that really make him?

" _Thank you, Katara."_

' _For what?'_

" _For caring."_

Katara offered a small, inward smile.

They heard clattering and muffled voices from behind the door, and Ruby was reminded that someone was out there waiting for her. With Katara's approval, she stood to leave but stepped on something that made a muffled crunch.

Ruby looked down to find a dried flower, and more of them trailing to a corner in the room. Curious, she followed the trail until she saw other bouquets and things scattered around. In the middle of it stood a portrait with a blanket over it. Katara was distracted with the strange display and didn't notice when Ruby pulled the cloth down.

It was a painted portrait of a family of four.

With a knot growing in her throat, Katara suddenly realized what it was all for. There were candles she recognized there. The very same ones that she and Zuko held at the vigil.

" _What's wrong?_ " Ruby asked.

Katara didn't say anything and instead thought of the family in the portrait. One taken by war, the other by cruelty. The only thing that young man and his mother had left was each other. Ruby froze when she realized Katara was referring to death.

With a chill running through her, Ruby turned her fearful eyes to the dirty outfit she wore earlier and stared at the darkened blood stain.

' _That was the first time you've seen someone die, wasn't it?'_ Katara asked when she felt how worked up Ruby was getting.

The spirit's attention snapped. Katara was taken aback by the rising panic swelling in her chest, and it worried her even more when Ruby started breathing hard.

' _Are you okay?'_ she asked.

Suddenly, Ruby jumped to her feet and, at the same time, retreated into the darkness as fast as lightning. Alarmed at her fleeing, Katara tried to stop her. _'Wait! Ruby, don't-!'_ She didn't finish when she felt the emptiness where the spirit was a moment ago. Hidden far away in the dark, Ruby wasn't going to hear a word Katara said unless she wanted to.

There was a knock on the door and Ruby jumped at the sound of it, still anxious. She whipped around and heard mumbling from the other side before Kouen opened it and peeked in.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to barge in, but you haven't come out yet-"

He went on about her absence, but Ruby did not pay attention. She was fighting the overwhelming nervousness that stiffened every inch of her. When a hand reached out and lightly touched her upper arm, she blinked in surprise at Kouen.

It wasn't anything to be worried about, he was just trying to usher her out of the room. But if one didn't know that, it would have looked very different.

Kindness. That's all it was, but that's not what it looked like to the figure staring in through the window from a little bit down the street.

People passed in front of Memnar and walked directly in his line of sight as they moved, but his eyes never wavered. There were even a couple of voices telling him he was in the way, but none of that registered.

The only thing he could see was a young man with a stupid grin on his face touching Ruby.

It shouldn't mean anything at all to him. Such a simple thing in this pathetic mortal world should not warrant his attention in the slightest. He should be looking at it as uninterested as it damn well should be – the same way he's tried to see everything else he's run into.

But, for reasons he couldn't fathom, that was not how he saw it.

All in a moment, a wild flare of jealousy that came out of nowhere crashed into him. He quite literally was powerless as his rage was ignited. It only grew more intense when the fool stepped to the side, getting closer to her and sliding his hand further up her arm. The last straw was when his face, which Memnar now wanted to throttle, grew even happier.

With an audible growl, Memnar quickly stomped towards the restaurant, plowing right into a group of people and knocking someone flat on their backside. Once in, he headed straight for the other end, ignoring some of the curious stares. When he saw the open door and recognized the window, he picked up his pace until he stepped in.

The fool was still standing next to Ruby but was no longer touching her. It didn't matter, though. When the stranger saw Memnar, he stopped mid-sentence and widened his eyes when Memnar harshly grabbed the collar of his shirt with a powerful fist.

He turned and, with one throw, tossed the guy right out of the room. When he hit the floor, Memnar slammed the door for good measure and locked it. He glared at the handle, fighting the urge to open it up again and beat the stranger to a pulp.

He was reminded why he came here in the first place when he saw Ruby shift at the corner of his eye. He turned to look at her, and his anger halted. The expression on her face was a mix of surprise, unease, and confusion.

Memnar's tongue turned to lead, and he suddenly didn't know what to say to her.

He probably didn't mean to and did it out of habit at this point, but Memnar absentmindedly tried to reach into Zuko's thoughts for an idea of what to say to her. Zuko shoved back at him, completely livid, and told him to get out.

He was so close – _so close_ to walking out of the city. They didn't make any sort of deal, but Ruby was gone, and so he gave the spirit a new map to get out. He even told him exactly what he needed to do to get past the guards unseen! Of all the times for him to change his mind, it had to be when they were twenty steps away from getting out of there!

Now here they were, at the end of some mental guide Memnar used to find her, right back to square one!

Memnar spared just a moment to mentally roll his eyes at Zuko's fit he was throwing before pulling off his hood and removing the cloth covering his face. He remained silent as the two of them stared back at one another, still not sure what to say.

An apology was something he'd give to no one, not even her, so what else was there to say? She looked down to the ground and her lips pressed into a thin line. With that look, he expected her to walk away from him, but she didn't. She sighed and stepped towards him, then wrapped her arms around him in a tight hug.

Memnar blinked in surprise, wondering what she was doing. However, the moment her cheek touched his skin through one of the singed spots on his outfit, he stopped thinking altogether. Slowly, he returned her embrace, and was a little disappointed when she pulled away too soon.

He fidgeted, then looked at the door impatiently.

"We're leaving," he said.

She didn't make a move to follow. "You're here…

"Yes, and now we're leaving," he repeated.

"But you told me to leave."

"I changed my mind."

Her expression told him his explanation wasn't good enough. He hesitated again as he tried to understand his own reasoning for coming to find her. He was so close to being free from this place, but every step he took further away from Ruby, the more it ate at him.

It was irritating, but no matter how many arguments he used to convince himself to keep moving, all he wanted to do was find her. It was an annoying thing – feeling better now that she was near him.

He sighed. "I came back because I want you to come with me."

She looked away, uncertain, and fidgeted with her hands.

"Will you?" he asked in a low tone, then held his hand out to her.

Ruby stared at it for a moment before looking into his eyes again, the stiffness on her face disappeared as a smile slowly found its way. When she took his offered hand, Zuko felt his spirits drop to the floor. Memnar's unwavering determination to keep her with him was hard to ignore.

The spirit went for the door again but briefly glanced down at Ruby's new, more revealing outfit.

"You changed," he stated.

She looked down at her clothes. "Oh, yes. This one is dry."

On the floor were the pile of clothes she wore earlier and he walked over to them. He picked up the shawl, intending to make her wear it again, but noticed how drenched and muddy it was. He tossed it to the ground with a sigh. They couldn't just walk around the streets with her face uncovered, lest someone spot them.

As he looked around the room for something else he could use, he found a crate with more clothes in it and started rummaging through it. He could see Ruby smiling at him at the corner of his eye.

"Thank you for coming back."

He froze for a second but said nothing. He pulled out a long, silk scarf and decided it was good enough. He walked up to her and wrapped it around her, covering most of her hair and the lower part of her face.

"Let's go."

She nodded with another smile then stepped towards the door. "We're leaving the city, right?"

"Yes."

"Where will we go after that?" She grabbed the handle.

Memnar looked away, realizing he hadn't thought that far ahead. Ruby opened the door to step out but she froze and her eyes widened. Memnar knew something was wrong the moment she stiffened.

She backed up slowly and Zuko felt the blood drain from his face when Shen walked right through the door, staring directly at Ruby. His second-in-command and two other guards filed into the room behind him with a woman and the young man peeking over their shoulders.

The bittersweet relief at seeing their faces was indescribable for Zuko. However, it was short lived as Memnar narrowed his eyes and reached next to him to grab onto anything he could use as a weapon. With the shock of adrenaline coursing through his veins, his body temperature rose.

Just as his hand gripped onto something, the spirit froze when the captain looked further in the room, completely skipping over him as if he was invisible. The other guards acted as though they couldn't see him either.

Completely confused, Memnar quickly looked to Ruby who was as still as ice as she stared intently at the group.

"Where are they?" the Captain asked as he turned to glare at the older woman.

She looked around the room, and the young man next to her said, "They were here. They looked like the two you just described. The girl was Water Tribe. The other had his face hidden, but I think there was a scar over his left eye."

The woman folded her arms with a scowl. "We asked for your help because we thought a thief ran in here. We did _not_ ask for you and your men to barge in here and scare everyone."

Shen ignored her and stepped towards the open window. He leaned against the sill slightly and looked out of it in irritation. It was only then that Zuko noticed Shen's appearance. He looked like he'd gotten into a bar fight and lost. His eyes had huge, dark circles under them and he looked more than exhausted.

There was also gauze wrapped around his chest and upper arm, and Zuko could see blood seeping through it. The others looked only slightly better than he did. Whatever it was, it was one massive fight they walked away from.

The Captain's face contorted in anger and he grabbed the plant next to him, then chucked it. It shattered against the wall only two feet away from Ruby. When he turned, he stumbled forward and Toran grabbed him before he fell. "Fan out and find them," Shen demanded, hoarsely. "They can't have gotten far."

One of the guards immediately left. Shen tried to take a step, but Toran wouldn't let him. "Stop. You've had enough."

The captain tried to knock his hands away, but it was a weak attempt. The other continued with a stern tone, "We've tracked them this far; the shop owner, the homeless man – they're nearby."

"Exactly. Now back off."

"You've been bleeding for hours now! It's a wonder you're still on your feet right now. If you don't stop, you're going to drop dead. Enough is enough!"

Shen looked like he wanted to argue, but he didn't and shut his eyes tight. Toran turned and helped Shen out of the room with the last guard following them. "I'm taking him back to the palace, tell the patrols-"

The voices faded as they left the building. "I don't understand. They were in here!" said the young man as he and the woman stepped into the room and looked around.

"They probably left through the window."

"I want to help. That guy – he had to have taken her with him! Abducted!"

"Absolutely not. That is for the soldiers to handle, not you-" the woman's voice stopped short the moment she noticed an uncovered painting of a family in the corner of the room. When her son, he assumed, noticed her looking at it, his expression dropped.

The woman closed her eyes, then lowered her head and looked like she was close to tears. She turned to walk out of the room and when she spoke again, it was a faltered whisper. "Come, Kouen."

Her son followed her, but glanced one more time at the open window before he slowly closed the door. The tension in the air vanished and Memnar slightly relaxed his completely rigid pose. Ruby let out a breath she was holding and stumbled back onto a crate, closing her eyes while grabbing her head.

Memnar eyed her curiously. That near-catastrophe was certainly not his doing. He knew abilities sometimes followed spirits into the mortal world, but he did not expect one that potent from Ruby. Grateful that they dodged a huge mess, he put his hood back on and pulled the cloth up over the lower part of his face.

There would be soldiers everywhere outside. They knew both of them were close, but he'd made it this far undetected. Determined, Memnar walked over to Ruby. "Are you alright?"

"Yes."

He helped her to her feet, but did not let go of her hand. "Good. Let's go."

* * *

They were at the city gates. Soldiers were everywhere and stood on high alert as they checked the faces of everyone who came and went. There was not a single bag, crate or wagon that passed them that didn't go under heavy inspection.

It seemed an impossible task to make it past unseen. Memnar and Ruby kept to the shadows in a nearby alley, lucky enough to have stayed hidden until that point. Though, no amount of skill Memnar possessed was going to get them through the obstacle they were looking at.

Memnar was bombarding Zuko again, doing everything he could to get him to show a way out. He was relentless in his assault, but Zuko pushed back with just as much determination. It had nothing to do with pride at this point. He fought hard against the spirit for one reason only: to protect the helpless person standing next to him from _himself_.

He tried to barter with Memnar again. He tried every argument he had to convince him to take the deal, leave Ruby, and walk away. The spirit would not.

For reasons he still didn't understand, his mind was already made up. Ruby was coming with them.

Memnar tightened his fist and hit the wall next to him, his attack growing more intense and far more threatening. _"SHOW ME!"_ he yelled.

Zuko couldn't manage any words let alone a shred of distaste under the crushing pressure. If he wavered for a moment, it would break, and there was no way he was letting that happen.

As the two of them struggled for control, both their attention faltered when Ruby stepped out of the shadows. Right into the light, and directly in the soldier's line of sight. Startled, Memnar's eyes widened. He reached out to her, but it was already too late.

However, the men didn't even look at her. Like before, they acted as though she wasn't even there. Ruby walked right up to the gate and she was met without a single acknowledgment aside from other spirits standing nearby. When she was through the gate, she turned to look back at Memnar, her eyes intense and reaching out to him.

He was still for long, tense seconds, but eventually stepped forward. With uncertainty, he left the hiding spot and approached the horde of people. They all looked past him like they did with Ruby.

Each step was a personal blow to Zuko, and his heart sunk when Memnar was through the gates next to Ruby.

His hope dropped even lower when as they merged with the other travelers walking along the road. When they were halfway up a small hill, the people slowed when they heard the loud ringing of gongs coming from the city's center.

 _'No, no, no!'_ Zuko yelled, knowing exactly what the sound meant.

Many, including Memnar and Ruby, looked over their shoulders as the ringing tolled louder and the city gates shut with them. It was a sound used for wartime and emergencies…the gates would not open until the ringing filled the air once more.

As long as they were sealed, no one would come in, and no one would leave.

Ruby's hand slipped into Memnar's as she stared up at him expectantly. Without another glance at the city he so despised, the spirit turned his back to it, and mentally to Zuko as well, and walked away.

* * *

A/N: Six months to get caught up. WTF. Revision was not supposed to take that long…never doing it again. At least it's done with. Now we can finally pick up where we left off!

I'm working on the next chapter right now, but I'm kinda going through some writer's block with it. There's a lot going down and I've discovered I lack experience when it comes to writing fast-paced scenes. I'm sure my muse will clear it up soon though!

Anyway, what do you think of the character development in this chapter? I'm curious to know…


	23. Bereft

A/N: The writing gods are cruel. I beg for time to write and they give me 3 different essays. It's so awful I could almost laugh.

I was debating the ATLA universe with someone over PM a week ago and they mentioned a few things about my portrayal of the Fire Nation Capital. Just to set the record straight for anyone else concerned, I am fully aware that the palace is in the middle of Caldera city, which has no view of the ocean, and sits in the middle of a dormant volcano. I've changed it in my version.

The history nerd in me cannot accept that a _military superpower_ with a booming economy has such a small city with no walls to call its capital. Caldera's protected by the volcano, but that holds, what, 100 buildings tops? The point is this: based on…calculations, the capital should have a population of up to 230,000 _within_ the walls. Outside, the number increases in the immediate area, especially near the harbor. It's holding Fire Nation nobles and elites and is the military center. It should be a WHOLE lot bigger than what the show depicted. I also think the palace is too small.

Okay, my rant is over…

Responses:

Guest: I'll stick with it till the end even if writer's block kills me lol. LunaSoleil: Sorry it dragged. Yes, you are correct that it was mostly for Ruby's development. Thank you for the props with tension building – I aim to make it interesting to read. EternalFire1984: Indeed it was. So glad revision is done haha. VengefulGeyzer: I'm trying to give her some depth and mystery. I enjoying molding her character just a teensy bit more than Memnar's.

InItToWinIt: Thank you for the advice! I ended up pushing those scenes to the next chapter, but drafting them up was easier thanks to what you said. I always try to dump too much explanation when it only needs a line or two. Guest: You're welcome! guest: Now that they're out? Nothing good when Memnar's making decisions lol. shadowcatt1990: Big moves forward. Hope you like them! Rivierra: Agreed… nevertalk: Thanks! I hope this next one is, too.

sylah808: *Very crazy lol. Anon: It's complicated between those two. This chapter dives into it more. fan fan: I took a 5-day brake and came back feeling like I abandoned my cat or something. I think that means I'm addicted to writing. It's bad. TinyArtist: More is here~ TheLastDignidestined: I made it through unscathed lol. waking-up-with-happiness: This chapter should go into a little more depth with Ruby! Guest: Thanks. I don't plan to give this up till it's finished!

guest: Memnar's clueless in that regard, or is he? TheSylverBlue: Glad you liked it! :) Marie: No need for an apology! I'm happy to keep on writing it for you! DK009: I gave myself a good pat. I'm glad to hear you liked them – it's what I was aiming for. Taylor2774: Hang tight. The tension's going to get worse. .71: Katara is different. We'll get to why soon. And we'll touch on what happened to her bending…

Guest: Who doesn't love a twisted romance lol drinkingTea01: Thank you for all the reviews! Zuko's got it bad haha Shasitaa: Don't worry about not reviewing a ton. I used to obsess over getting reviews, but I've learned it doesn't help with writing. I try to write for the story and you guys, not just your comments. But thank you for the thoughts you do share. Guest: We'll catch up with Hiyori soon ;) Guest: Thanks! M: Sorry for the delay…here it is!

Criticalreader: I know you said you weren't going to read past chapter 9, but, in case you do and see this message, I'm sorry that chapter turned you away. I am aware of the Lustful Zuko trope that goes on in fanfics, and, yes, I am guilty of using it as well. All I can say is keep reading and you might change your mind. This plot is not skin deep… Nini Hearts: Wow…I don't know what to say. Thank you for that review. It was very encouraging to read.

aLegendary: Ah…sorry it took so long. Busy is a light word. I've flung myself into adulthood a little too fast, I think. I'm truly honored that you consider it one of your favorite fics. I'll try to keep the bar high for future chapters!

***Brief recap*** After walking away from the massive explosion he caused in an uncontrollable fit of rage, his chest slashed and bleeding, Memnar took to the streets of the Fire Nation Capital. He realized he was being followed by none other than Katara, who mysteriously woke up in control after Ruby passed out. It was revealed that Katara had the ability to sense his whereabouts…and could potentially lead the soldiers right to him. Deciding he couldn't let her go because of it, he dragged her through the streets and intended to take her with him until he could figure out what to do with her.

They stopped and rested at an abandoned building when the blood loss got to him. One thing led to another and Memnar found that when he touched Katara, both a strange pain and pleasure would run right through him. He got carried away and ended up kissing her before Ruby woke up. The next day, both spirits wandered through the city looking for an exit. After a fight, Ruby and Memnar split up briefly. During their separation, Katara and Ruby established a fragile trust with each other. When Memnar found her again, he decided that instead of going off on his own, he wanted her to come with him. They escaped the city.

Disclaimer: No own, no sue.

* * *

 _Chapter 23_

 **Bereft**

…

Katara wasn't sure how long they walked. She guessed it was early noon, but the cloud cover and rainfall were too heavy to tell for sure. As for how far they'd gone…wondering didn't make much of a difference. No matter which way they walked, it was further away from the city and any sort of hope for their situation.

The land beside the road was growing thin with warmly lit buildings full of people hunkering down for the storm. It was clear they were outside the city limits and based on what was ahead, they were not headed in a promising direction. The last building they passed was far behind them, and nothing but thick trees stood in every direction.

They were at one of the last rest areas on the road and wouldn't see so much as a farm or tavern for miles ahead, or so she was able to gather from the people talking nearby. A caravan of traders were gearing up to head to the next town over, intent on transporting their goods even with the weather and chaos of the spirits showing up a few days ago.

Everyone seemed to be too busy with their tasks to approach Ruby and Memnar, who stood off to the side and out of the way. The occasional spirit that looked their direction was quick to turn on their heels and scurry away from them as fast as they could.

The busy traders around them went unnoticed for the most part. There was something far more pressing Katara was focused on. Her hands were bunched together with worry, but it wasn't the knowledge of knowing they were practically lost that had Ruby so nervous.

Zuko's hunched figure sat on a tree stump in front of her, panting and rubbing the area beneath the wound on his chest. Even with the cloth covering his lower face, she could tell it was ghostly pale. She still wasn't sure how much blood he lost the previous night, but if the dark stains on his clothes were any indication, it was too much.

And to be trekking through the woods without stopping - at his rate, Memnar was going to put Zuko's body into shock, which will…it may end up killing him. As it stood, there was a high chance Zuko was going to pass out any moment and never wake up.

Ruby, listening to Katara's horrifying thoughts, swallowed hard.

' _We can't keep going like this,'_ Katara worried. _'He can't take any more of this.'_

Ruby reached out and touched his face in concern. He flinched slightly and swatted her hand away without opening his eyes. The rejected hand was instantly back up to her chest, fidgeting nervously with the other.

" _He-He'll die?"_

' _He could if he doesn't rest. He shouldn't be moving around like this. Not in his state…'_

A sudden sting of panic flashed through Ruby and Katara felt her chest cave into a crushing dread the prospect of death brought to the spirit. Almost right away, the all too familiar sensation of Ruby trying to retreat into her mind made Katara grab onto her mental hand with a death grip. She could not afford to lose Ruby's attention, not when Memnar was so carelessly risking Zuko's life.

' _No! You're not going to do this to me right now, Ruby!'_

" _But…"_

' _Please don't run away. Not now. Not here.'_

" _But- but I-"_

With great effort, Katara softened her voice, feeling that panicking was only going to drive Ruby away for good. _'I know you're scared. I am too. You don't have to do this alone. I can help you right now, but I won't be able to if you shut me out.'_

Ruby was still for a long minute.

' _Please,'_ Katara begged.

She was almost certain Ruby was about to slip into the dark. The overwhelming sadness and fear was too much for her to handle, but somehow her words made it past. The spirit hesitantly settled back near Katara. _"Okay,"_ she said meekly.

Katara let out the mental breath she was holding.

" _What should I do?"_ Ruby asked.

' _Don't let him stand up. If he starts walking again, it's going to get worse. Just make him sit down if he tries.'_

" _I don't think he'll listen to me."_

' _I know, but just try._ _Can you waterbend?'_

" _Waterbend? What do you mean?"_

' _It's-'_ Katara didn't have time to explain the intricacies of elemental bending, so she searched for the best bundle of thoughts she had about it and showed it to Ruby. _'It's this. I can do it- my body can do it. You should be able to. If you can seal that gash on his chest, he'll be past the worst of it.'_

Ruby looked absolutely lost at what Katara was showing her, but she extended her arm and waved her hand through the air exactly the way one of her memories showed. There was no response from the puddles next to her, or the rain falling on them.

' _Try again…'_

Ruby did, and Katara didn't offer any further instruction. She was too taken aback by how identical the lack of control felt as the last time she tried and failed to waterbend. Frighteningly identical…

" _I-I don't know how,"_ Ruby stammered. _"I'm sorry."_

' _It's okay…'_ Katara said, her voice completely devoid of comfort and feeling more helpless than she had in a long time. Zuko's glowing eyes cracked open and fixed on the direction of the road they were walking towards earlier. Stubbornly, he ignored Ruby's request for him to stay down and shifted to stand up, but before he could, he froze. His eyes widened and he quickly scanned the faces of the other travelers.

"What's wrong?"

Memnar turned around to look between the trees with a distrustful expression. "Did you feel that?"

"Feel what?" she asked as she looked around them as well.

There was a pause before he muttered, "Never mind. It's nothing."

Clearly lying, his eyes kept darting around them as if something was about to jump out of the bushes. Ruby looked around them again to spot whatever it was that put him on edge, but couldn't find anything out of place.

' _Perfect. Now he's delusional. This isn't good,'_ said Katara. _'If only we were still in the city, we would be that much closer to the palace.'_

" _The palace?"_

' _It's where the other waterbenders are. They're healers that can help him. We need to get back there as soon as possible, but Zuko can't handle the walk back at this point. He's having a hard enough time catching his breath as it is.'_

Ruby bit her lip and looked down the road they walked.

"Let's leave. I don't like this place," said Memnar as he got to his feet. He took a few steps towards the road, but stopped and looked over his shoulder when Ruby didn't move. "Why aren't you following?"

"You shouldn't be pushing yourself this hard. I'm worried about you."

He narrowed his eyes. "I said we're leaving, Ruby."

"I don't want to go. It's-It's not safe out here. I want to go back to the palace."

"Go back?" he asked in a low voice. "Where did you get that ridiculous idea?"

Not answering, Ruby looked away nervously. Her eyes were off his for barely a second or two before Memner stepped closer and grabbed the tip of her chin, then lifted it up to ensnare her attention again. "Is it your human that's giving you these foolish ideas?"

"Yes, but I agree with her…Katara says-"

"I don't care what she has to say. The only person you should listen to is me." He dropped his hand. "We're going to keep moving and if… _Katara_ ," he said her name with complete distaste, "has anything further to say about it, silence her."

If Katara could send a nasty glare in his direction, she would. She knew Memnar was stubborn, but this was just ridiculous. He was ignoring every warning sign his body was giving him and his arrogance wasn't just going to get himself hurt – he was going to take Zuko every painful step of the way.

The sound of wood slamming against something made Ruby jump and look to the direction of the caravan. Another loud sound echoed through the air as a man shut and secured another tailgate to one of the various drays. It looked like the last of their supplies were finally packed and people from the large band began to step out onto the street, leading the animals towing the goods behind them.

As Katara stared at the distinctly Fire Nation style wagons, an idea that offered somewhat of a solution to their problem came to mind.

With Memnar's refusal to sit still, they were in a no-win situation. But, if he was going to insist they keep moving, they could at least try a way that wouldn't kill Zuko. Katara was quick to tell Ruby her idea, and the spirit was even quicker in following her request.

Ruby ran towards the group of people that looked to be the leaders of the caravan, earning another scowl over the shoulder from Memnar. When she asked one of the men if they could come with them and ride in the back of one of the drays, the first response she got was a scoff and a raised eyebrow.

"You shouldn't be out here, little girl, or _spirit_ , I should say. Go back to the home of that young woman. You have no business traveling like this."

Others nearby offered similar responses and Ruby could only look hopelessly between them as they began to turn away. Feeling desperate, Ruby was almost to the point of trying to reach into their minds to find a way to convince them, but the numbers of the large group were overwhelming.

" _Too many…"_ Ruby thought. _"I can't. There's too many!"_

She quickly grabbed the man's wrist. "Wait, please!"

In a mix of pity and annoyance, he sighed. "I've already told you my answer, young lady. Go home before this storm gets worse."

He tried to lightly pry her hand from his wrist, but the second he touched her, someone else grabbed Ruby's arm from behind. She was pulled away from the man and into a warm chest. When she looked up to see Memnar, he was looming over her possessively and glaring at the stranger.

"Do you have space, or don't you?" Memnar asked, his tone menacing.

"It's not a problem of having enough space. I don't offer free rides to travelers, especially spirits who shouldn't be wandering around in the first place. There's nothing but forest for miles in the direction we're going. No people, no markets, and no food to buy."

"Free?" Memnar mumbled. With an aggravated sigh, he reached into his pocket, then shoved whatever was in it onto the man. He stumbled back and caught the large gold coin before it could fall to the mud. "You humans desire gold, don't you? Will this satisfy you?"

The man's eyes nearly bulged out of his head, same as the others standing nearby as they looked at the coin. "This is…" he trailed off in disbelief. "Who are you?"

"A traveler. I'll have that back if your answer is still no."

The conflicted leader looked like he was about to hand the coin back, but when someone by his side whispered something to him, he reluctantly put his hand over it instead. "This kind of payment can get you all the way to Ba Sing Se. I don't have the change to give you for such a short distance."

"Keep all of it then. I don't care."

"I shouldn't agree to this. You both must have families that are worried about you," said the man as he looked between their glowing eyes, "but…I will give you both a ride. We're headed to Redstone and we intend to get there before the hurricane comes in. We'll be traveling through the night and we're only making one stop at a small town by the cliffs."

After giving the man a stiff 'fine', he instructed them to follow him and walked away. They didn't at first, and it took another few seconds for Memnar to let Ruby go. "What?" he asked when he regarded her confused expression.

"You helped me," she said quietly.

"And?"

"I didn't expect you to. Thank you."

He looked a little taken by surprise and both Ruby and Katara thought they could see the faintest hint of red at the tips of his covered cheeks before he turned to glare at the forest. "It gets us further away from that place," he said as he gestured to the road behind him. Like it had nearly all day, his hand rubbed the spot below his wound as he looked toward the wagons full of goods. A distance away from them, the leader of the caravan gestured for them to follow again. "This plan, was it yours or Katara's?"

"Katara's…"

He nodded and his tone darkened. "Don't run away from me again, Ruby. And don't talk to anyone else here, understand?"

She slowly nodded.

"That includes Katara," he mumbled.

' _Unbelievable,_ ' said Katara as they watched him walk away. _'I'm just trying to help here.'_

" _He doesn't understand-"_

' _He_ does _understand. He just refuses to budge on anything unless it's his idea. And telling you not to talk to anyone…ugh. You don't have to defend him when he acts like this.'_

Ruby didn't comment and followed Memnar with her head hung a little lower.

* * *

It was like experiencing sleep paralysis but to an intense degree. Zuko had yet to fall into the same deep sleep the spirit slipped into hours ago. He wouldn't allow himself to – he couldn't. He sat with his back against the crates, his body exhausted, his eyes shut, and his ears sharp with only a debilitating sense of worry to keep him occupied.

If it wasn't his apprehension that had his attention, it was the soft padding of Ruby's footsteps. They were torturous to listen to because they reminded him over and over of their precarious situation, and how much worse it was guaranteed to get once Memnar woke up.

It always did.

' _Though…'_ Zuko thought, daring to hope just a little.

Every single one of their dynamics with each other was screwed up in some way. Zuko and Memnar wouldn't get along until the Fire Nation froze over. Ruby was hopelessly submissive to Memnar. Zuko and Katara couldn't interact _at all_. In those brief hours Katara was in control, she and Memnar were quick to butt heads.

But Katara and Ruby…

Out of the four of them, they were the only ones willing to work with each other. Ruby was actually _listening_ to Katara, and Zuko hoped that, by some miracle, she would be able to convince her spirit to run back to the safety of the royal palace.

Though, as time passed during the day, he was beginning to realize what a pipe dream that wish was. Ruby shared the same level of worry over Memnar that Katara seemed to have for his wellbeing. Nearly all day long since climbing into the back of one of the caravan's large drays, Ruby's attempt to help never slowed and worried blue eyes rarely left him.

Through Ruby's occasional mumbling as she spoke to Katara, he had yet to hear a single hint Katara was trying to convince her to leave. As far as he could gather, the only things Katara did talk to her about were ways to help him recover after the hike that almost stopped his heart earlier.

He was grateful for it. The prospect was grim to imagine, but there was a chance he could have…died…if it weren't for her intervention. Memnar singlehandedly brought the word 'self-destructive' to a whole new level. Zuko felt just a twinge safer knowing that Katara, someone he could trust his life with, was watching over him. But, even still, it wasn't worth having her here. He was in a mindset that if she tried to leave him, Memnar was going to force her to stay.

There were sounds of shuffling next to him as Ruby settled at his side. A hand landed on his shoulder, then moved upward to his face. She slowly pulled down the black cloth and pressed her palm against his exposed cheek.

"Why is he so warm?" she whispered.

It was another question directed at Katara, and he wished there was a way he could hear her answer.

Familiar shocks of pain spread from the area she was touching, like needles pressing into his skin, and he did his best to ignore it. Memnar was able to figure out a way to regulate it until it turned into a far better sensation, but how he was able to do that was lost on Zuko.

No matter which way he focused, the strange, icy pain wouldn't lessen and robbed him of the opportunity to feel the warmth and softness of a touch that hand rarely gave him.

He was willing to bet it was the pain that roused Memnar from sleep. The spirit woke with a start and instinctually grabbed her wrist to push it away. Zuko was ready to shout a warning to Memnar not to grip her too hard (the spirit had a penchant for bruising half the times he touched her). However, when his eyes opened to find it was Ruby and not some dreamlike stranger in front of him, he relaxed and let her go.

He was going to let her keep touching him if she wanted. Below the pain it was nice and not the worst thing to wake up to. He could change it if it got too bad.

She brought her hand back and leaned away instead.

"How are you feeling?" she asked.

He didn't answer and rubbed the back of his neck, trying to get rid of the soreness from sleeping.

"You slept for a long time. That's good…"

"Have we stopped yet?"

"No, we haven't slowed down for hours. Kat- I mean, I think it's getting close to sunset." Ruby looked off to the side for a moment before quietly saying, "You should probably sleep some more until we get there. But first-" She opened a small cloth sack next to her and grabbed a few pieces of bread from it and handed them to him. "Here."

"Where did you get that?"

"I…found it."

Memnar, deciding her answer was a lie, gave her an annoyed look before taking the offered food. He had a few bites, which made her happy.

"Um, you need to drink this too," she said as she handed him a canteen.

"I _need_ to?"

"It will make you feel better."

"You suddenly seem very knowledgeable about what's good for me. How do you know it's going to make any difference at all?"

"I-" She swallowed and quickly brought the canteen back. "Oh, it's empty. I'll go fill it."

Memnar's eyes glued to her hips as Ruby quickly got to her feet and walked to the other side of the dray. Sitting next to the opening, she held the canteen under a small stream of water falling from one of the edges of the roof. It would take awhile to fill at the rate the water was falling. Ruby pulled her knees up to her chest and waited patiently.

If Zuko had to commend Memnar on anything, it was his ability to read a situation quickly when it came to Ruby. But he didn't need that sixth sense of sorts right now. It was obvious to tell what was going on here. The knowledge that Ruby was getting help with her tasks killed his appetite, and the spirit set the bread aside.

" _Talking to that pest again, even after I told her not to,"_ Memnar inwardly mumbled.

' _We would be passed out in the mud if it weren't for Katara. She's the only one here who's making,'_ he paused for a moment, ' _mostly rational decisions.'_

" _Am I to take this as a sign you're glad to have her here with us now? You were throwing such a fit about it this morning."_

' _No, I'm not. I'm just saying she's the reason we're not worse off.'_

"' _Worse off', hm? I don't care if she's being helpful or not. She's getting in the way. 'Go back to the palace'? Tch, I've heard that string of words before. As if Ruby would ever suggest such a thing on her own."_

' _At least Ruby will listen to reason...'_

Memnar was quiet for a few seconds, bored with the direction the conversation was going. " _Are you complaining about my listening skills?"_

"The town is going to be fine," said a voice from outside. Memnar looked between the small cracks in the cover and saw two women passing them. They were walking fast to get ahead of the dray. "I doubt things were as violent there as they were in the Capital."

"I know, but it still worries me. Some of the city burned down and so many people are missing-" the woman stopped short when she saw Ruby looking at them. "Oh…hi Ruby."

Knitting his brow in confusion, Memnar looked to Ruby who gave them a wave and a small smile. The one that offered the greeting suddenly looked very uncomfortable, but the other woman smiled warmly and said, "Did you finish the bread? I'm sorry I didn't have much when I came by earlier."

"Not yet and it's fine. Thank you for giving us what you could."

"You looked like you could use it, especially your companion. You can get more at the town we're going to stop at. They might even have some fresh fish if the ocean wasn't too rough today."

"Ocean?" Ruby asked.

"Yes, it's right by the town we're going to."

"Oh…" there was a hint of excitement in her voice that made Memnar want to roll his eyes.

Ruby and the two women chatted for a moment longer until she glanced at Memnar and caught on to his complete annoyance over what was going on. She nervously thanked them again before saying goodbye. Instead of coming back in to sit by him, she went right back to filling the canteen and didn't look at him again.

" _This town we're stopping at, how far is it?"_

' _I don't know. Why?'_

" _We're getting off this dray as soon as we get there."_

Zuko sighed. _'You don't need to get so worked up over Ruby talking to other people. They're just helping.'_

It was obvious to anyone who had functioning eyes to see how displeased Memnar was that Ruby so much as muttered a word to a harmless stranger. He seemed so indifferent about being around her before, but the possessive streak he picked up earlier in the day was growing like a weed.

" _I may disapprove of her behavior, but that is not the main reason,"_ Memnar said as he pulled the waterproof cover aside to look at the trees they were passing.

' _Then what is?'_

" _We're being followed."_

' _We're traveling with a caravan. It's how these things work.'_

" _I know that. I am not dense. Ever since we left the city, I've sensed someone behind us. I know you've felt it as well."_

' _I think it's just your paranoia of being found by soldiers.'_

" _It's not. I can guarantee that."_

The foreboding tone in Memnar's voice made Zuko drop his indifference about it. He focused on the forest Memnar was making him look at, and couldn't quite tell what the spirit was expecting to see between the tree trunks. _'Who's following us?'_

" _A spirit, most likely. They've kept their distance since we left but now they're catching up."_

Ruby brought the now full canteen inside and walked back to Memnar. She seemed hesitant to approach him all the way as she knelt next to him and offered the water.

' _Are we in danger?'_ Zuko asked.

" _No,"_ he said quietly but hesitated a second too long. _"Whoever it is has no idea what they're getting themselves into. When I find out who it is, they're going to regret ever thinking they could sneak up on me."_

' _You don't sound certain of that. Memnar, if we're not safe-'_

" _Listen to me, you fool,"_ he interrupted. _"I may have little influence over humans – I admit I'm still not sure how I was able to link with that condescending dimwit last night - but don't you dare assume it's the same with spirits. There is a reason every single one of them looks at me with terror in their eyes."_

Memnar grabbed the canteen from Ruby and took a few sips just to make her stop looking at him like he was going to die if he didn't drink it, but the moment the cold water hit his lips, he realized just how thirsty he was and ended up drinking half of it.

' _You should warn Katara – or both of them, I mean, about it.'_

" _There's no need. Nothing is going to-"_

Memnar didn't finish and was taken by surprise when she scooted closer to him and pressed her palm against his forehead. The pain wasn't what made him stop short, though; his hair was blocking their skin from touching. It was how close her chest was. It was directly in his line of sight. She may as well be doing it on purpose with the perfect angle she was giving him, and he wasted no time in staring right down her shirt.

It didn't help that she was no longer wearing a shawl and her entire outfit was obviously a size too small.

The spirit would admit it only to himself that he wasn't feeling well. He was aware of the slight nausea, the dizziness, and the way his limbs were weaker than ever. Even so, just the sight of the gap between her breasts made him forget it. It kickstarted his heart rate and a dark curiosity sitting in some unnoticed corner of his mind slithered to the front.

" _How annoying,"_ Memnar thought. _"I'm not even touching her right now, and still this happens."_

Was it truly possible that his thoughts could be derailed so quickly by something so simple? Ruby had a habit of flipping his state of mind lately, and here she was doing it again with that alluring pose. Though…it wasn't like he hated it. Bothersome, yes, but…

That temporary body of hers.

' _Can you not do this right now?'_ Zuko asked nervously.

" _Is there something else that needs my attention?"_

' _Yes, we have more important things to worry about.'_

" _Like us being followed?"_ he asked with losing interest. _"I'll leave the worrying to you with that. It's no threat to me."_

What Zuko was about to say next was forgotten when Memnar's attention was buried by rogue daydreams of what Katara would look like if her small shirt wasn't in the way. Zuko's cheeks quickly burned with vivid picture and how appalled he was over being an unwilling spectator to someone else's perverse imaginings.

' _Stop,'_ Zuko growled. ' _I can see all of that, you know.'_

" _I don't really care. It's not like I was the first to come up with it."_ Taken aback, Zuko didn't get a chance to ask him to elaborate. _"Go find some black corner to hide in if you don't like it."_

' _I'm not going to do that.'_

" _Fine then. Stay right where you are,"_ he said as he looked her up and down, then muttered to himself, " _It's not like I have anything better to do right now."_

There was a piece of fabric hanging down just below her chest that caught his attention. It was a gold decorative ribbon that was starting to tear from the rest of her outfit. He reached up and toyed with it, using it as an excuse to get just an inch away from a spot his hand should not be. She noticed and moved back, but seemed oblivious how suggestive he was being about it.

"Temptress," Memnar grumbled too low for her to hear.

She settled against a stack of crates adjacent to him, then pulled her knees up to her chest. It blocked his view, so he moved onto staring at her lips instead.

"You should sleep more," she said. "Or eat something. You've hardly touched your food." She pushed the small pile of bread closer to him.

"I don't want it."

She pushed the food another inch toward him anyway.

"So then…sleep?"

"I doubt I'll be able to if you're around. You just had to go and…ruin my mood."

"Y-You're angry with me?" she stammered. "What did I-"

"No, I'm not," he interrupted. "You're just developing an annoying habit of distracting me."

He refused to go into detail when she asked him to, so she sat awkwardly for a while before moving on to something else. "Katara says your temperature is too high. Your wound might be infected and if we can't get to a waterbender, you need to have a different healer stitch it up."

"…"

"We can find one at the place by the ocean we're headed to."

"…"

"Is everything okay?" she asked, shifting uncomfortably when she finally seemed to notice his staring.

"No."

"What's wrong?"

He sighed and his wandering eyes moved away from her lips down to her legs, stopping at her heel which was close to his hand. "…you."

He lightly touched her skin and ghosted his fingers up until he could wrap his hand around her foot. He watched her intently and waited for some sort of reaction that she was feeling the same stinging he did. Aside from a small blush, she didn't look bothered at all. Just the same as Katara was when he asked her.

" _How interesting…"_ Memnar thought.

"Ruby, just how much control do you have over these abilities of yours here? Your power to control minds."

"I've always had complete control," she said, distracted by his hand.

"I'm not convinced you do."

"Why would you say that?"

"Because of what you're doing to me right now." He lifted her foot up slightly, then narrowed his eyes in suspicion. "Is this your way of trying to get into _my_ mind?"

She knit her brow together, confused. "No."

"I'm having a hard time understanding these mixed signals. Pushing me away with the pain," he said quietly, "then trying to reel me in with this." He effortlessly changed the painful sensation into something far better. It felt like rough, jagged lines straightening and letting out the tension as it did. To Zuko, it was no better than before. Worse, even, like poison running up his arm because he could feel the way Memnar was getting lost in the intense spark of desire that followed. "Of all the lies you've told me here, I can't tell if your answer is one of them."

"But I'm not lying. I can only make people not see the things I don't want them to, or make them forget for a short time. It's very difficult to do. I've never tried to do any of it to you."

"You're sure?"

Her eyes locked with his in silence a little too long. Given his current mood, it was no surprise to Zuko when Memnar mistook the prolonged eye contact for something other than what it was. He was leaning towards her before he knew it, and planted his free hand on the ground a few inches away from her hip. Her eyes darted all over his approaching face as she finally nodded. He whispered with a frown, "So then how do you explain this?"

"I'm confused. You're not making any sense…" she trailed off when his hand slid up to her ankle.

' _How close is the spirit that's following us?'_ Zuko asked in an attempt to distract him.

Memnar ignored him, too caught up in an itch to kiss her again. The spirit was curious about the enticing link Ruby had with him and since his memories and Ruby herself failed to give an explanation for its cause, he was going to investigate it himself.

' _Memnar-'_

" _Are you going to tell me to stop again?"_ he interrupted.

The spirit could hear his answer in the silence that followed.

" _I'd rather you just stay quiet for now. Unless, of course, you can tell me why this keeps happening."_

' _I don't care why it's happening. Figure it out when you get back to the Spirit World.'_

" _I suppose I would have all the answers there if I waited for this breach to end…"_

' _So then wait,'_ Zuko stressed.

The spirit paused in his admiration of her face and moved his gaze inward. With a frown, he said, _"You are so vehemently against me touching her, but isn't that hypocritical of you?"_

Memnar threw a handful of less-than-innocent thoughts Zuko had about Katara before the breach, the same ones he ripped from Zuko's memories not long ago. He cringed and blocked as much as he could.

" _This is nothing at all compared to some of the thoughts you've had about her. I first believed things like this were just pointless actions, but now I see why you thought them. She doesn't have the same hold over you that Ruby has with me. But still…it's - what is the word -"_ Memnar closed his eyes and focused on Katara's skin, " _addicting."_

Trying to hide his embarrassment, Zuko stammered, _'Th-that's different. What your doing is completely different!'_

" _Hardly. Is she your mate?"_

' _No, she's-'_

" _Then you wish her to be your mate."_

He wanted to scream the word 'no' again, but the being in his mind literally invading every one of his thoughts would know that wasn't the truth.

" _Hm, my first assumption about this woman was wrong. You don't just simply desire her, you're more attached than that," he said growing more disinterested with every word. "You love her."_

Zuko felt like a giant spotlight was on him. Memnar was the last person he wanted to discuss that sensitive topic with. Aside from Shen, no one, absolutely _no one,_ knew how he felt about her. Katara might. He tried to kiss her a few nights ago and he thought he made it blatantly obvious the night of the gala. During that dance…but…

He still hadn't told her. He had yet to say the words if he ever really had the courage to in the first place.

And now this damn spirit was sticking his nose into it, toying with a secret he had no business knowing.

" _Even without this connection with Ruby, no wonder it's so difficult to look away from her…"_

' _I'm not talking to you about this.'_

" _You don't need to. You've already confirmed it. Not that it matters. I don't really care what sort of affinity you have for any human being. To me, she's nothing but a vessel who had the unfortunate luck of taking on Ruby."_ Memnar moved his hand upward again and stopped at the back of her knee.

He ran his thumb across her skin, testing for a reaction, and was more pleased than he should be when he heard a sharp intake of breath from her.

' _Wait, don't. Just-'_

Zuko didn't know how to finish that sentence. He could not, for the life of him, think of any way to barter out of his situation. Right now, the only thing the spirit wanted was sitting next to him.

Memnar pulled her leg to straighten it out a little, then his wandering hand slipped under the fabric of her skirt and continued upward along her inner thigh. His lips parted when he realized the further up he went, the warmer her skin was - the more _intense_ the electricity from her became. Ruby didn't show any sort of hesitation and the blush on her cheeks darkened.

Zuko was well aware how messed up their situation was. It was sickening to be reminded of how helpless he was as his own hands betrayed him. If there really was such a thing as fate, it was mercilessly cruel for putting him and Katara through this.

He tried his hardest to stay focused on resisting, but the unnatural heat flooding around him was dragging him down right along with Memnar. He pulled and tugged at the spirit to try and take control back, but it was as pointless as all the other times he tried. He was rooted too deep in Zuko's mind behind an impenetrable wall.

Untouchable.

Uncontrollable.

' _Damnit,'_ he whispered. _'I'm sorry, Katara…'_

Suddenly, just as Memnar was nearly halfway up her thigh, Ruby's half-lidded eyes opened wide. When she stiffened to the point she was as still as stone, Memnar halted. There was something in her glowing eyes he couldn't quite read, but he could see hints of shock, confusion, and something she rarely looked at him with – fear.

Before Zuko could understand what was going on, Memnar had her intentions deciphered almost immediately. Ruby pulled her leg from his grip and jumped to her feet, but before she could get away, Memnar grabbed her wrist hard. He meant to pull her back down to the floor, but his jerk was a little too powerful and she fell right on top of him instead, crashing into his chest.

She tried to scramble away from him again but froze when he let out a muffled yelp of pain. He couldn't stop it. Her hand was pressed right into his wound, and though it was barely on for a second before she pulled back, the burning was intense enough that he almost passed out.

She was frantic as she looked at the blood spots now staining her palm. "Oh, no. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry!"

He frowned, biting back the lingering sting and grabbed her other wrist. "Where are you going?" he hissed. "You keep trying to run away from me."

Ruby wouldn't look away from her hand, so Memnar twisted her wrist so she couldn't see the blood. It wasn't enough to hurt her, but it did the trick to make her look at him. Even though he had her practically pinned on top of him, she still tried to get away.

"Sit still so I can talk to you."

"Please let me go."

"No. Tell me why you're so frantic to get away from me."

"I- I just," she swallowed. "I don't want to be near you right now. I shouldn't…"

"You were always a terrible liar in the Spirit World," he said. "Stop acting like you have something to hide. Katara's telling you to keep your distance from me, isn't she?"

She slowly nodded and Memnar's grip unintentionally tightened.

"I'll let you go when I'm done with you, not when she says, alright?" His eyes pinned her further down than his hands could. They were heavy and unrelenting, and Ruby couldn't look away. Zuko wouldn't say Memnar was threatening her, but it was clear there would be consequences if she didn't agree.

Which she did, of course, with another small nod. Submissive like always.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" he asked as he studied her glowing eyes. "Like you're afraid."

She blinked in surprise, then looked away sheepishly.

"Is she also telling you to distrust me?"

"Yes…"

All sorts of negative, angry responses swirled around in his thoughts. Memnar was tempted to lecture Ruby again about listening to only him. He was even about to speak directly to Katara to give threats and insults.

It surprised Zuko when the spirit did none of that.

He looked down at her lean wrists he was still holding, focusing for a moment on the strange flow of energy coming from her. It may be causing a growing itch in his body, but beneath the desire, there was something else. It had a peaceful quality to it, much like Ruby herself. It was the main reason Memnar thought he recognized the connection between them in the first place.

It had somewhat of a calming effect and slipped right past his attempt to ignore it. His raging thoughts slowed, the scowl on his face disappeared, and the burning anger faltered. He didn't have the energy to try and get it back.

"And you're listening to her," he stated.

Quiet, there was something confirming in her frown.

With a long sigh, he let what was left of his frustration go and a sense of lightheadedness took its place. Pulling her just a little closer, he leaned forward until his forehead was resting on her shoulder. She tensed even further, not knowing how to react to his sudden closeness.

"You know I care nothing for every living thing that has ever existed. Spirit, mortal, whatever it may be."

"I know…"

"If I had the power to end every single life I came across, I would. It's part of my nature – who I've always been."

"I know…" she said again, so low that he could barely hear.

"Then you should also know you are the exception to it all. I am incapable of hurting you, Ruby. You know that, or at least you did. Now you look at me like I'm some animal to be feared."

There was a small gasp of surprise he almost missed. Memnar leaned back to look at her eyes, but hardly relented on the space between them. His lips were inches away from hers.

"Do you really think so little of me?" he asked.

He expected her to look away from him and say something along the lines of 'Katara says', but she didn't. Her shoulders fell and an apologetic vibe followed. What was left of her struggle ended and she settled down completely on his lap, close and warm.

Memnar let her wrists go and tested to see if she would run away from him. When he was confident she wouldn't, his hands dropped to her waist.

"No, I don't, Memnar."

"Yet you've been keeping your distance from me since we climbed into this thing," he said quietly. "You've taken quite a liking to Katara if you're more willing to listen to her than me."

"She's helped me when I've needed it. I trust her."

"I can tell. But why?"

"Why?"

"Why do you trust her? What makes her so special? I've rarely seen you latch on to anyone else but me."

"She's…different."

It wasn't a good enough response for him, but he suddenly decided he didn't really care why she was making friends with mortals. He leaned closer to her to the point their lips were almost touching, but Memnar didn't want to kiss her yet. He was testing her reaction again. Clearly caught between uncomfortable and beguiled, the blush was back on her face. She readjusted on top of him, accidentally rubbing against one area in particular, and it sent an unexpected spark of heat through his body.

Memnar decided right then that he liked Ruby most in that position – under his control, close enough to read every one of her reactions, close enough to touch.

"M-Memnar?"

"Yes, Ruby?" he asked as he moved down to her neck.

"Earlier you said that I was causing you pain. What did you mean by that?"

"You want me to explain it? If you can't tell me why it's happening, I don't think I can either." He slid his hand to her bare midriff on her back, running his finger slowly up her spine. "It's some kind of connection between us. Every time I touch your skin, it sends jolts of pain through me."

She shivered and lightly gasped right above his ear. "But how? Why-"

"'Why' is what I am trying to understand."

"I'm hurting you right now?" she asked as she tried to lean away again. He easily held her in place.

"No, I can…turn it off at will. I can change it."

"To what?"

He hesitated a moment, then kissed her neck slowly. "Something that makes me never want to let you go."

Ruby was clearly unable to respond when Memnar trailed light kisses up her neck.

Zuko's eyes closed at the heady sensation. It was happening again, just like the last times. His muddled thoughts were becoming too hard to navigate through, forced into this state with no idea how to get out. The feeling of her so close to him was poking holes in his resolve.

It was pathetic. _He_ was pathetic. Why was it so difficult to just _not_ be tempted by it? His body wasn't his, but everything about his mind certainly was, so why was he…why was he always so close to giving in? It shouldn't be this hard…

"I don't understand…" her words were breathy and faded before she could finish. Being so close to her, the spirit could feel her heightened breathing against his hair, and could feel through his lips the way her heart was pounding just like his.

"It feels something like this," he thought aloud. "If it's not your doing, then maybe this is how it's always been between us. How frustrating…" He leaned back to look at her eyes and slid his hands up her waist to get as much skin against his grip as he could. "This is going to drive me crazy here."

Was he always this attached to her in the Spirit World? His thoughts _this_ consumed with being near her? Apart of her? No wonder she rarely left his side. If it was like this all the time, he'd never let her go.

For a brief moment, an analogy of a moth hovering around a flame came to mind. Neither Zuko or Memnar were sure where it originated. Both were a little too distracted with Katara's hips unintentionally moving against him to decide who thought of it first.

A moth and a flame…hopelessly seduced by the light and ignorant of the deadly heat.

It didn't make sense to Memnar. Their situation felt nothing like it. She was a light he was drawn to, maybe, but there was no fire to burn him if he got too close.

" _If anything,"_ the spirit thought offhandedly, _"she's the one who's going to burn…"_

' _What…?'_ Zuko asked.

Memnar closed his eyes and kissed her.

Time seemed to slow in that moment for Zuko. It was quick and ended fast – just a small peck to gauge her reaction, and to test his own if the spirit was being honest. He leaned back a little and waited for her to do something. She looked a little too stunned to move and Memnar decided he'd take advantage of that.

He gave her five seconds to tell him 'no more' and she didn't. That was good enough for him…

His heart leapt in his chest the second he felt hot lips against him again. Familiar now because they've already been through this before. But this time it wasn't Katara trying to struggle.

It was intoxicating, and couldn't compare to the sensation he felt through his hands. It was too intense for just a small kiss, too close to driving Memnar right to the edge before it could even begin. But even though barely controllable need filled his entire body, the spirit was fighting the rush.

A smaller hand pressed against his check out of surprise at first, but then lingered with a light caress. The stiffness in her lips soon faded as he slowly worked on them. She responded to him faster than he expected, however slow and timid it was. But when she did, instead of satisfying him, it ignited his impatience.

Memnar fought with the need to take the lead and completely dominate the situation. He wanted to go a little faster – the slow pace just wasn't quite cutting it. But he was trying very hard to let Ruby get used to it. He more or less knew what he was doing thanks to the memories he stole from Zuko. He also knew that Ruby likely did not.

Having her go through another fit of trying to get away was not something he wanted to deal with. And forcing her to do it didn't seem as fun as making her _want_ it. If it took a little convincing, then so be it. He could wait a little.

Maybe.

When her other hand moved up to rest on his shoulder, she shifted on top of him at the same time. Then she did it again. And _again_. Was is just out of nervousness? Was she doing it on purpose? Did it really matter? Memnar's sliver of chivalry he was trying to maintain was chipped to dust by her movements, then blown away when he ran his hand up her spine again and managed to get a whimper from her.

It was too hot, too excessive to deal with, too damn difficult to focus when he heard her start to struggle for breath between his unrelenting lips. He wanted _more_. _Now_.

He picked up the pace of the kiss before Ruby was ready for it, and she leaned back from him when his hungry lips were demanding too much too fast.

He simply moved on to planting more kisses on her jaw and neck teasingly as she panted against his ear.

"Wait, I-" she said breathlessly.

"Wait what?" Memnar asked.

"Just stop for a second."

"Do you really want me to do that?" He caressed her back again in the most seductive way he could manage and it sent another shiver through her. "Put away that annoying voice in your head," he whispered, "and just focus on me right now. I'm not going to hurt you, Ruby."

Memnar could almost hear Katara's protests as he looked her over and saw she was still unconvinced, but as he traced more patterns on her back and trailed more kisses along her jaw, he could tell he was winning whatever unspoken argument was going on in the air. His victory was obvious when she finally closed her eyes and let out a broken sigh, unable to ignore his irresistible touches.

He captured her mouth again just for good measure and bit down on her lower lip. He was rewarded with something between a whimper and a moan. Just hearing that sound from her again made his heart beat even faster. Gripping her hips, and briefly groping her backside at the same time, he pulled her flush against him, chest to chest and just barely away from his wound. It wasn't close enough.

She was kissing him back now and seemed eager to follow his lead, so he went ahead a did what he was avoiding earlier. He pressed her already-close hips against him and momentarily lost his train of thought. A hand snaked up the back of his neck and into his black locks, tightening as if she were asking for more.

And he was more than willing to give.

Her sudden enthusiasm flipped a switch in Memnar and he had their positions swapped in seconds. As soon as her back hit the floor and he had her pinned beneath him, Memnar slipped his tongue expertly into her mouth. She let out another enticing sound that went right through him and he pressed his lower body against her to see if he could get more of that intensity from before.

' _Shit,'_ Zuko thought, horrified, as he felt himself start to harden against his pants _. 'This is…going too far.'_

Memnar was losing it, literally. He felt even the spirit had no control over his actions at this point. He gave into every idea of where to touch her next right away. No thought. _No_ control. Just feeling and that was it. Zuko, as hot and heady as he felt, froze when his rogue, traitorous hand landed on her abdomen and slipped just barely under her shirt.

Memnar never got the chance to touch what he was aiming for.

The dray came to a sudden halt and voices sounded outside. Surprisingly, it was Memnar who stopped when he heard them. Feeling reluctant to end the kiss she was still locked in, he had to force his lips from hers to briefly look to the covered opening for signs those voices were approaching them. The last thing he wanted was an interruption right now.

He didn't realize his mistake until he was too late.

Ruby was panting and disheveled, appearing completely unaware of what was going on around them. However, the moment someone mentioned that they had finally arrived at the town they were talking about earlier, her eyes widened.

The next thing Memnar knew was he was being pushed away and the enticing body beneath him was gone. Red-faced and avoiding his eyes, Ruby ran for the exit, opened the cover and jumped off the dray. She stumbled a little when she hit the ground, and for a brief moment, she had her hands on her cheeks looking something close to mortified. Then she ran.

It happened so fast that it took Memnar a minute to catch up and realize she actually had the nerve to run away from him _again_.

He had her pinned, she should not have been able to do that. She shouldn't have _wanted_ to in the first place. He thought he had her pretty damn convinced…

Tightening his fists until his knuckles were white, he let out a growl as he sat up. Zuko's relief was palpable as he ran a hand through his slightly messy hair and noticed the dying erection. The spirit could sense a little disappointment from him as well, knowing there was a part of Zuko that felt just as unsatisfied as he was. However, he was too irritated to stoop to pointing it out and arguing about it.

Still out of breath, he muttered, "Gone again."

Now he had to find her, wherever the hell she ran off to, and bring her back-

His thoughts stopped short when he remembered a crucial detail about the place they were stopped at. As soon as he did, he swore with everything he had that if he ever crossed paths with La in the future, he was going to murder that spirit.

Ignoring the throbbing pain in his chest, Memnar grabbed the canteen of water Ruby gave to him and stumbled toward the exit. He was feeling too lightheaded to jump to the ground, so he slid off instead. The rain was still going and the area around them looked the same as it did earlier – trees everywhere, muddy road, nothing new.

However, the forest opened further up a hill to green grass and shrubs and he could see a small town not far. The ocean was hidden from his current vantage point.

He looked for his short, glowing-eyed source of irritation among the traders who were busy either talking with the approaching townspeople or unloading some of their goods. He spotted her a ways away chatting with the same two women as before. Her eyes were wide with eagerness and one of the women pointed up the hill towards the town.

It was a stab to his pride that she looked so at ease, like he hadn't just stirred her up with all that kissing and touching. If his still pounding heart and somewhat lewd thoughts told him anything, he certainly still wasn't over it…

If this was her way of stubbornly playing hard to get, then try harder he would. He had enough source material to make her weak in the knees for him, or so he believed.

" _We'll see you if you still want to run away from me when I get to you again, Ruby,"_ he inwardly mumbled.

He was about to march right over to her, grab her wrist, and force her back to where he wanted her, but before he could take a step, he felt eyes on him from behind.

Zuko, not Memnar, was the first to realize that something was off about it and it came crashing down on both of them at once that they'd forgotten about their mysterious follower. With a short sigh, Memnar turned around. He didn't have the usual glare on his face, just a bored scowl that said 'I don't have time for this'.

His eyes landed on an ordinary-looking man. He had dark, shaggy brown hair, was the same height as Zuko, probably a few years older than him, and just as built. What stood out the most were, of course, his glowing green eyes and the fact that they stayed firmly locked with his, unafraid and unyielding.

He wasn't smiling and had his head tilted as if he were inspecting Memnar and finding the results displeasing.

"Do you have enough water for a needy stranger?" the spirit asked as he gestured to the canteen in Zuko's hands.

Memnar, deciding he was equally as unremarkable as every other spirit he came across thus far, scoffed at his ridiculous question and took a sip of the water. "What do you want?"

"Water, at the moment."

"I'm not going to play games with you, scum. Answer my question. Now."

Memnar eyed the dagger at the man's hip and considered using it if he didn't get his answer fast enough.

"Always so violent. How like you, Memnar." A small smirk tugged at the spirit's lips. "Alright, I'll get straight to the point since you don't seem to be interested in small talk, but first, I have to say I thought for sure it would be Gallel, instead of you, to be the one to come through this time. I guess it's finally your turn. You do know what that means, don't you-"

Memnar took a threatening step closer to him. "If you keep rambling, I'm going to shove that knife into your throat."

The spirit hesitated and held up his hands in mock surrender. "I'm sorry, I didn't realize you hated the mention of Gallel's name that much. I guess that means some of your memories are coming back."

' _Do you know this guy?'_ Zuko asked.

" _He's just a bottom feeder. I don't care who he is."_

' _Ask him why he was following us,'_ said Zuko.

"Following you?" said the green-eyed spirit. "I've been waiting hours for you to arrive."

Stunned, both of them were at a loss for words. The surprise obviously made it to his face because the other spirit looked like he was enjoying every second of his startled expression.

' _You can hear me?!'_ Zuko yelled.

"Of course."

' _How?!'_

"It's an ability of mine. Little gems walking around aren't the only ones who reach into people's minds."

Zuko's next question was interrupted when Memnar blindsided him with a mental punch to the face. Zuko fell to the ground, feeling like the wind was knocked from him from the sudden bombardment. Memnar kept a threatening presence over him and Zuko felt too pinned to move.

' _What was that for?!'_

" _Quiet,"_ hissed the spirit.

"Come now, Memnar, we can all have a decent conversation here. Humans included."

Memnar grabbed the stranger's collar, as he always did when he was trying to be intimidating. The spirit kept his smirk in place, but he couldn't hide the flash of fear in his eyes. Anyone would be a fool not to be afraid under a glare like his.

"I have no patience for lies. Tell me why you've been following me."

"I'm not lying. I could sense you coming so I've been waiting here for you. If you think you have a follower, I'm sorry to disappoint you, but it isn't me."

Memnar believed him for some reason and let him go, but he didn't feel any better. He looked over his shoulder at the road they came from, the same one he could sense…something moving down it. Zuko wanted to ask who else it might be, but Memnar's darker-than-usual mood felt more dangerous than it normally was. He didn't want to draw his attention, or provoke another painful blast like the one he was just hit with.

"You asked what I wanted," said the spirit as he fixed the disheveled clothing at his neckline. "I might tell you later. For now, I decided to meet you here because I wanted to see for myself."

"You wanted to see me?" he scoffed.

"No, not you." His eyes moved past Zuko's shoulder and settled on something in the distance. A hunch told Memnar he knew exactly what the other spirit was looking at. "Precious Ruby," he said sweetly, "brought to this world yet again."

"What did you say?"

"I would…keep a close eye on her if I were you, Memnar. She may wander off and never come back if you aren't careful."

Whether it was a threat or not, Memnar didn't take the time to analyze it. Hearing him utter Ruby's name in such a disgusting tone snapped his patience. He reached to grab the dagger from the stranger but froze mid-reach when Zuko's worry merged with his own.

' _Katara,'_ Zuko thought quickly.

Memnar looked over his shoulder almost frantic to find Ruby. She was in the same spot as earlier still talking to the women. Seeing she wasn't in any immediate danger, he turned back to the other spirit only to find the spot he was standing empty. The only thing that lingered in the mud was the canteen Memnar was just holding.

His hand was still hovering in the air in a loose, hollow grip as if he were still holding it. Memnar picked up the canteen and knit his brow together when he realized it was empty save for a few drops.

' _This was half full a minute ago,'_ Zuko said.

In a slow dawn of realization, it occurred to Memnar what he was just subjected to. There was no way he could have gotten away without Memnar knowing unless that lowly spirit had the guts to use the same mind control on him that Ruby used on others.

On _him_.

" _That rat!"_ Memnar raged.

Livid, his grip on the canteen tightened. The smell of burning leather filled the air as it seared in his hand before catching fire. It burned a brilliant flash of blue before he chucked it to the ground with a yell. With murder in his eyes, he turned in every direction to find the other spirit, intent on killing him the moment he found him.

There were no signs of him and the only glowing eyes he could see belonged to spirits already with the caravan. The only clue he did have were messy tracks that may or may not belong to the culprit. They lead off the road and into the forest.

He would have stormed right into the thicket without hesitation, but something caught his attention on the hill towards the town. It was Ruby's scarlet red outfit swaying in the wind that recently picked up. She had her back turned towards him, walking fast towards what he knew her only destination was.

Memnar quickly looked down at the tracks surrounding him, pinching the bridge of his nose hard enough to leave a bruise and trying to find it in him to just _not_ care if she was out of sight for a few minutes. "Ah! Damnit!" he yelled before he inevitably turned toward the hill.

He made it up quickly, walking fast to try and catch up to her. The entire time was spent looking from her to the forest behind him, his thoughts completely at odds with each other.

The town was even smaller than he thought it would be and had only about 15 buildings making up the center near the main road. He passed between them, uncaring of the rain picking up or the few curious looks directed his way. Past the last building was a field of lush grass before the rocky cliffs dropped off to the ocean. The moment Ruby spotted the edge, she ran toward it until she was standing on the brink. He didn't need to see her face to know it was full of awe and wonder.

By the time he caught up to her, he was panting and once again about to pass out onto the ground from the exertion.

"Ruby," he growled between breaths.

Instead of being nervous because of his tone, she turned around and gave him the brightest smile he'd ever seen. It was brief, though, because she was obviously excited to finally see the thing she'd had her mind stuck on for days. A little taken by that warm gesture, Memnar didn't say anything more and just watched her as she started walking along the cliff's edge.

When he was no longer feeling so dizzy, Memner took a few more steps toward the edge too and looked around. The horizon was blocked by the stormy clouds in the distance. They were even more menacing than the ones above them, and they were headed in their direction.

The ocean was dark, restless, and picking up impressive sized waves. The cliffs were much higher than Zuko expected and had an intimidating view of the hundred-foot drop to the bottom. There was a nasty riptide directly beneath them, crashing into jagged, sharp rocks and sending clouds of mist into the air.

Not far from them, there was a pathway that led down to some mediocre fishing boats that did not look like they were going to survive the storm. With the town so close, Zuko briefly wondered how any parent would be okay with having their children run free so close to this death trap.

No one could survive a fall from here.

Zuko felt his heart nearly stop when he saw Katara again. Ruby turned on her heel to walk back towards them, but she didn't spare any space between her feet and the edge. Looking like she was on cloud nine, she held her hands out to the side of her accepting the rain drenching her, and humming a tune he didn't recognize. In her blissful state, she seemed completely unaware of how dangerously close to falling she was. One wrong step, one slip and…

"This _is what she wanted to see so badly?"_ Memnar thought, unimpressed with the flat color of gray nothingness. "This _is why she ran off?"_

' _Memnar.'_

" _What do you want?"_ he spat.

' _We should-'_ he faltered when he saw Ruby spin around again to walk the other direction, _'We should go back to the caravan.'_

" _So you can try speaking with that pest again?"_

' _No,'_ he said firmly, not caring at all about that strange encounter anymore compared to what was going on right now.

' _You won't get the chance to if he dares to ever cross my path again. When I find him-"_

' _That's not the reason,'_ Zuko said quickly, unworried that he cut the spirit off. _'They said they weren't going to stay long. The traders are going leave without us if we don't get back.'_

Memnar narrowed his eyes toward the distance. _"You know, I am getting sick of the sound of your voice. It irritates me every time you say something, all this garbage you constantly spew, and it's even worse when I have to hear it every time_ I _speak in this body."_

' _Just- Look, I don't want to fight with you right now! Just grab Ruby and leave!'_

Memnar didn't grant him the decency of asking 'why' before digging his claws into Zuko's thoughts for an answer. His bad mood was obvious because he was far rougher than he needed to be and made a point to make it painful for Zuko.

When he had his explanation, he turned his attention to Ruby and the slippery rocks she was walking on.

Figuring there was no point in skirting his words anymore, Zuko said, _'She's too close to the edge and doesn't seem to care. She could fall.'_

Memnar didn't move a muscle and his hesitation was frighteningly deliberate. _"You want me to 'pull her to safety' and make her stop? How clever of you for trying to get me to do that without realizing,"_ he said sarcastically before his tone changed. _"But you're a fool for thinking I'm going to fall for trickery again."_

' _That wasn't my intention! You're missing the point!'_

" _No, I'm not. I know exactly what you're getting at."_ He looked back down at the jagged rocks and the way they'd disappear under a vicious wave every few seconds. _"She's going to die if she falls."_ Memnar's next words brought a cold chill up his back. _"Why should I care?"_

It wasn't a front just to argue with Zuko. The spirit was dead serious in his apathy. _'Ruby will…'_

" _Ruby is immortal, same as me. A fall like this won't kill her. No…the only one that will die is Katara."_

' _Just pull her away from the edge,'_ Zuko said nervously.

It fell on deaf ears as Memnar continued, " _Ruby would simply leave her..."_

The words came out sounding so simple to him, bored even, but Memnar didn't seem to understand the gravity of what they meant until he spoke them. Suddenly, his perception of the ocean below changed. It stirred a dangerous thought; one that nearly paralyzed Zuko with fear at how seriously he was considering it.

" _How simple it would be,"_ Memnar thought, _"to take one step and wake up in the Spirit World before the breech closes. A simple way out of this world…"_

' _Wait, listen…'_ Zuko said with a swallow. _'If you're thinking- You wouldn't-"_

"… _won't I? Fear is such a disgusting scent, and your words reek of it right now."_ Memnar clenched his fist, working his fingers together as if there was an itch in his palm. _"If I try to take this step, are you going to stop me?"_

The world around them faded as both of them stared back at each other in the darkness of their minds. Zuko could see Memnar's animalistic red eyes watching him intently. They were just as cruel as his father's the day looked down on him after their Agni Kai that left him scarred for life. He was overpowered by the spirit's just the same.

Zuko _was_ afraid. Terrified. Any thought to hide it from Memnar was nonexistent, not when he felt the value of his life was currently being weighed in the spirit's unforgiving hands.

" _You won't be able to,"_ Memnar whispered.

'…'

The spirit looked down at the rocks again.

And then a warm hand grabbed his.

Memnar first looked at Ruby's tight clasp on him, then to her wide eyes. She was frowning, her face was pale, and her whole body was as still as ice. There was no sign of the excitement from earlier. It was as if the ocean disappeared altogether.

He could tell by the way she looked down at the water below, her hand instantly tightening in response, that she must have figured out what he was just considering. Or Katara told her. Memnar figured it could be either at this point.

Refocusing on the world around him instead of Zuko, Memnar took one last look at the water before sighing. He roughly pulled his hand from Ruby's and turned around, taking a few steps onto the grass.

It was impossible for Zuko to believe that the spirit was suddenly bored again. There was _no way_ he could believe the spirit would go from considering a fast track back to the Spirit World to…complete disinterest in the idea. It was _impossible_. It didn't make sense – not after what Memnar just put him through.

Yet, it was happening.

 _Just_ like that, Memnar dropped the thought altogether, like it was all some kind of joke, and looked to the area the caravan was supposed to be. It appeared Zuko was right. Down the road a little ways, he could see the end of the line of wagons disappear into the trees, effectively leaving them stranded where they were.

" _Even after I paid them all that money,"_ Memnar thought, irritated, but not enough to actually care.

Ruby walked passed him and Memnar assumed it was because she saw the same thing he did, but he quickly realized that was not the case. With her face even paler than before, her feet stumbled under her with no real destination.

Memnar blinked in surprise when she brought the back of her hand to her cheek and wiped the moisture away. It wasn't the rainwater, though. It was a few tears that spilled over her eyes.

Ruby closed them a second later, dropped her hand loosely to the side, and fell to the ground. For a moment, Memnar just stared at her unconscious body on the grass. Zuko was still jaded from the scare he just had, but even though he didn't form any words for Memnar to hear, his thoughts were still frantic.

It contrasted heavily with Memnar's complete calmness about it.

When the spirit finally moved, he knelt by her side and turned her face upward, slow and careful as if she was going to break with too much pressure. He pushed her wet hair to the side, then watched the slow rise and fall of her chest.

There was a lingering tear she missed, and Memnar wiped it away before it mixed with the raindrops.

"Is it really just death you fear, Ruby?" he quietly asked her.

A gust of wind hit his back and a rumble of thunder followed, loud enough that he could he could feel it in his lungs. He turned his eyes skyward to raging storm and fading light. He didn't notice how dark it was getting until then.

They would be covered in the night soon enough.

He put his arms under Katara and slowly lifted her until she was up close to his chest, and looked towards the town.

* * *

A/N: Sorry the chapter was so big, but I hoped it was entertaining. It was one of the darker ones. The following ones won't be dropping to this level for a bit.

I'm curious, does all this circular writing ever get on your nerves? I feel like I constantly slap you guys in the face with all the symbolism and foreshadowing going on. I personally like to read plots with a lot of that type of writing, but…does anyone find it distracting?

Anyway, so Ruby passed out again. Guess that means…you know…and Memnar…you know…


End file.
